Every time a batter scores his or her first run after entering the field, it is a sigh of relief. No batter wants a big round zero against his or her name on the scorecard, for it is one of those embarrassing moments for batters. There have been many players who have gotten away with scoring the minimum number of ducks during their careers, and today we look at some Australian players with the fewest ducks in their international careers.
1. Lindsay Hassett
Lindsay Hassett was a right-handed batter for Australia who hailed from Geelong, Victoria. In 1938, Hassett played his first Test match for Australia against England at Nottingham. Until 1953, he played in 43 Test matches and scored 3073 runs at an average of 46.56. In 69 innings, he got dismissed for a duck only once.
2. James Hopes
James Hopes was a right-handed batter and a right-arm medium bowler for Australia from Townsville, Queensland, during the late 2000s. From 2005 to 2010, Hopes represented Australia in all three formats and played 96 matches in all. In the 68 innings he batted, he got out on a duck only once.
3. Alan Davidson
Next on the list is Alan Davidson, a former left-handed batter and a left-arm fast medium bowler from Gosford, New South Wales. In 1953, he began his Test career against England at Nottingham and, until 1963, featured in a total of 44 matches. In 61 innings, he scored 1328 runs at an average of 24.59, getting dismissed without scoring a run in an inning only once.
4. Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Hauritz was a right-arm off break bowler for Australia who hailed from Wondai, Queensland. Nathan started his international cricket journey in 2002, when he played his first one-day international against South Africa in Johannesburg. After this, he went on to play in all three formats for Australia and appeared in a total of 78 matches. In 58 innings, he scored 768 runs and got dismissed for a duck once.
5. Charles Macartney
Charles Macartney was a right-handed batter and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler from West Maitland, New South Wales. Charles made his Test debut against England in Sydney in 1907. Until 1926, he played in 35 Test matches, scored 2131 runs, and got out for a duck once in 55 innings.
6. Wayne Phillips
Next on our list is Wayne Phillips, a former left-handed wicketkeeper batter for Australia from Adelaide, Australia, who later turned coach and commentator. Wayne first played for Australia on the international stage in 1982 in a one-day international against Pakistan at Karachi. Until 1986, he played in 75 matches in all and got out without scoring a run in an inning twice in 89 innings.
7. Colin McDonald
Colin McDonald was a right-handed opening batter from Melbourne, Victoria. Colin first played for Australia in a Test match against the West Indies at Sydney in 1952. He appeared in 47 matches and scored 3107 runs at an average of 39.32, including five centuries. In 83 innings, he got out for a duck only two times.
8. Mark Taylor
Next, we have Mark Taylor, a left-handed opening batter from Leeton, New South Wales. Taylor’s first match on the international stage was against Sri Lanka in Melbourne in 1989. Until 1999, he played in 217 matches in Test and one-day cricket and scored 11,039 runs at an average of 39.14. In 296 innings, he was dismissed for a duck nine times, making his ducks to innings ratio 32.88.
9. Adam Voges
Next, we have Adam Voges, a former right-handed top-order batter for Australia from Perth, Western Australia. Adam made his debut for Australia against New Zealand in Hamilton in 2007. Until 2016, he played in 58 matches across formats for Australia and scored 2494 runs at an average of 54.21. In 64 innings, he got out without scoring a run only two times.
10. Greg Ritchie
Greg Ritchie was a right-handed middle-order batter from Stanthorpe, Queensland. He made his international debut for Australia in a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi in 1982. Until 1987, he played in 74 matches across formats and scored over 2600 runs at an average of 31.91. He had three ducks to his name in the 95 innings that he played.
