Melbourne Renegades captain Nic Maddison is sidelined for the Big Bash League season after suffering a devastating injury

Nic Maddison’s cricket season is over after scans confirm a cruciate ligament rupture for the Melbourne Renegades captain.

The left-hander was injured in the second over of the Perth Scorchers’ BBL run at Marvel Stadium on Sunday and slumped to the ground after twisting his left leg as he turned to return a throw.

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The 31-year-old was in immediate pain before eventually being carted off the field, with scans on Monday confirming the long-term injury.

Substitute captain Aaron Finch said the noticeably patchy playing surface was “a little bit sandy and a lot slower than I’ve seen in the past” but wasn’t sure if that played a role in Maddinson’s injury.

He will miss the remainder of the Sheffield Shield and BBL seasons for Victoria and the struggling Renegades, respectively, who have lost four straight games since the start of their three-win campaign.

Maddinson scored 87 points in a season-opening win over Brisbane but had only managed three runs in his last five BBL innings, including three ducks.

He will also leave a leadership void on the Victoria’s Shield side, having captained his adopted state for the first time last year after a successful move from NSW in 2018 reinvigorated his career.

“It is very unfortunate news for Nic, he has been one of the country’s leading batsmen across the Sheffield Shield in recent years,” said Graham Manou, Cricket Victoria’s head of cricket.

“Nic was also a standout leader in our young squad and I have no doubt he will continue to play that role throughout his rehabilitation process.

“We stand right behind Nic, we will give our full support wherever we can.”

Maddinson scored a century on his Shield debut as an 18-year-old for the Blues, made his international T20 debut two years later and made three Tests in 2016.

Maddinson, separated from NSW at the end of the 2017/18 season, moved south and scored seven centuries in his next 31 top-flight games to re-enter billing for higher honors.

“Our thoughts are with Nic and we will continue to support him in his recovery,” said Melbourne Renegades general manager James Rosengarten.

“Nic has been a fantastic leader for our team since taking the captaincy last season and he will continue to play a huge role in this team going forward.”

– AAP