&w=3840&q=100)
Australia' Steve Smith expects tough challenge from South African pacers in WTC final: 'They are here for a reason'
Former Test captain Smith, however, also expects conditions at Lord's to favour spin bowling later in the game, which could work to the advantage of Australia off-break bowler Nathan Lyon. read more
Australian batting star Steve Smith at a training session at Lord's ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final against South Africa. AP
Australia batting great Steve Smith is expecting a tough examination from South Africa's impressive pace attack in this week's World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Reigning champions Australia, who beat India in the WTC final in 2023, are favourites against the Proteas in the five-day match, which starts on Wednesday.
'South Africa have a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen – they are a good side, they are here for a reason,' Smith said on Monday.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Rabada, 30, has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22 while Jansen, 25, has 73 wickets at 21.76 in his 17 matches.
But former Test captain Smith also expects conditions at Lord's to favour spin bowling later in the game, which could work to the advantage of Australia off-break bowler Nathan Lyon.
'I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on,' Smith added. 'We've only been here a week, but I think it's been pretty dry start to the season over here.
'There hasn't there been too much rain, which is rare for England. It does look like quite a dry surface and I think the footmarks will definitely come into play as the game wears on.'
Lord's success
Smith has a superb Test record at London's Lord's ground, with 525 runs in five matches, including a double century and a hundred, at an average of 58.33.
'I've had a bit of success here,' said the 36-year-old. 'It takes a bit of time getting used to the slope, one end thinking you are falling over, the other you feel a bit tall.
'It's a nice wicket to bat on but if there's a bit of cloud about and the balls swing around, it can get tricky.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Several members of the Australia squad have not played much First-Class cricket in recent months but Smith was confident they would quickly find their rhythm.
'All the batters feel like they're in a good place, so now we're just excited to go out and play,' he said.
'Lord's is a place we traditionally played pretty good cricket, so we're excited about the prospect of coming up against South Africa.'
England have repeatedly emphasised how their long-term planning is designed to created capable of winning an Ashes series for the first time in a decade when they tour Australia in 2025/26.
But Smith said Australia were fully focused on the task in front of them.
'The Ashes is a big series but you can't look too far ahead,' said Smith, winner of the Compton-Miller Medal for player of the Ashes series in 2017/18 and 2019.
'You've got to keep playing each game as it comes. Every game is important with the World Test Championship on the line.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'That's the reason it came in: to make every Test more relevant.'
Australia's last Test at Lord's, during the 2023 Ashes witnessed an extraordinary row in the Pavilion between a couple of players and Marylebone Cricket Club members, one of whom was expelled and two others suspended.
Asked about what sort of reception he is expecting from MCC members this week, Smith replied: 'Unsure, and I'm actually not fussed either way.'
His career was almost derailed by his involvement in a 2018 ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in Cape Town.
But he said relations between the two teams were now 'pretty relaxed'.
There have been suggestions the WTC final should be played over several games rather than being just a one-off match.
'Maybe a three-match series would be good but good luck fitting it in the schedule, it's pretty jam-packed as it is,' said Smith.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Mint
2 hours ago
- Mint
South Africa vs Australia, WTC final: Lord's, London – Pitch report, weather forecast, AI predictions and more
South Africa will lock horns with Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final on Wednesday day (June 11). The clash will be played at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground in London. While the defending champions Australia will want to reclaim the title, South Africa will seek to clinch their first WTC trophy. The deck at the Lord's will help the pacers in the beginning, however, it is expected to be on the drier side as the game progresses and therefore will assist the spinners. If the batters manage to put runs on the board in the initial overs without losing wickets, then the pitch will be favourable for them to register a good total. According to AccuWeather, the temperature in London will hover around 20 degrees Celsius at the beginning of the game and will increase to 23 degrees Celsius by the end. The sky is expected to be partly sunny throughout the match duration and there is a negligible chance of rain. Total matches played: 147 Matches won by batting first: 53 Matches won by batting second: 43 Highest team total: 729/6 by Australia vs England Lowest team total: 38/10 by Ireland vs England Highest total successfully chased: 344/1 by West Indies vs England Lowest total defended: 62/10 by England vs Australia Matches ending in a draw: 4 Matches ending in a draw: 15 Matches won by South Africa: 26 Matches won by Australia: 54 Matches ended in a draw: 21 Australia and South Africa have faced each other thrice in neutral Tests, with all three played in 1912. Australia won two of those Tests at Manchester and Lord's. The third at Nottingham ended in a draw. Australia will win the 2025 WTC Final against South Africa. Steve Smith is likely to score the most runs and Pat Cummins will take the most wickets. Australia's experience at the Lord's and current form gives them an edge. Smith's recent five centuries and Cummins' 6/45 in Sydney back their dominance, despite South Africa's strong pace attack. Australia are favourites to win the WTC Final 2025 at Lord's, thanks to their experienced pace attack and strong batting depth. Steve Smith is likely to score the most runs, given his stellar record in English conditions. Pat Cummins is expected to take the most wickets, exploiting Lord's swing-friendly pitch. South Africa may fight hard, but Australia's balance and familiarity with the venue give them a clear edge.


India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
WTC final 2025: Australia aim to defend their crown as South Africa chase history at Lord's
London [UK] June 10 (ANI): The stage is set at Lord's for what promises to be a gripping ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final as reigning champions Australia prepare to defend their title against a determined South African side eager to make history. This will be Australia's second consecutive appearance in a WTC final, having won the 2023 edition against India, while for South Africa, it marks their first-ever shot at Test cricket's ultimate prize. The match brings together two sides with outstanding records at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground, often referred to as the 'Home of Cricket.' Australia have played 23 Tests at the venue, winning 12, losing just two, and drawing nine. South Africa, since their return to international cricket in 1991, have won five of their seven Tests at Lord's, drawn one, and lost only once, back in 2017. In their last appearance at the venue in 2022, the Proteas stunned England with an emphatic innings victory inside three days. With both sides enjoying strong histories at the ground, the final has fittingly been dubbed a clash between the 'Lords of Lord's.' There is plenty at stake for both teams. A win for Australia would make them the first team to successfully defend the WTC title, adding to their 2023 triumph. It would also earn captain Pat Cummins his third ICC trophy in under two years, having already led his side to WTC and World Cup glory in 2023, both times defeating India in the finals. For South Africa, this match represents a golden opportunity to shed the long-standing 'chokers' tag and lift their first major ICC title since the 1998 Champions Trophy, then known as the ICC KnockOut. South Africa's road to the final has been marked by consistency and dominance. They topped the WTC standings with a points percentage of 69.44, having notched up impressive victories against West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. Australia, who finished second with a points percentage of 67.54, had a more diverse campaign, registering 13 wins, four losses, and two draws from 19 matches. Their path included a 2-2 draw in the Ashes against England, a 3-0 whitewash of Pakistan, a 1-1 draw against West Indies, a 2-0 away win in New Zealand, a 3-1 triumph over India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, and a 2-0 win in Sri Lanka. Among the many subplots to this final, the battle between Steve Smith and Kagiso Rabada stands out as potentially match-defining. In 15 innings where they have faced off, Smith has scored 128 runs off Rabada's bowling at an average of 48.85 and a strike rate of 32.00. The South African quick has dismissed him four times and kept him quiet with 207 dot balls, despite conceding 16 fours and two sixes. Rabada's record at Lord's adds to the intrigue; he averages just 19.38 at the venue with 13 wickets in two Tests, including a five-wicket haul. Only Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc have comparable numbers at the ground. Smith, however, is no less dominant at Lord's, having scored 525 runs in five Tests at an average of 58.33, with two centuries and two fifties. His most recent innings at the ground was a brilliant 110 against England during the 2023 Ashes. Australia captain Pat Cummins, speaking ahead of the final, emphasised the importance of embracing pressure situations. 'With some success, you just want to experience more of it, and that means when the going gets tough or the pressure is on, you embrace that. You take it on. You want to be the match-winner. Hopefully you don't get overwhelmed by big moments,' he said, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. South African skipper Temba Bavuma confirmed that Lungi Ngidi will play ahead of Dane Paterson, pointing to the added pace and bounce Ngidi brings to the table. 'We've seen what Patto (Paterson) did for us at the end of last season. But from a tactical point of view, there's a little bit more pace from Lungi. He is taller as well,' Bavuma said. Australia playing 11: 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Marnus Labuschagne, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood. South Africa playing XI: Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi. (ANI)


India Gazette
2 hours ago
- India Gazette
"He deserved a spot in batting line-up": Pat Cummins on Cameron Green's spot in WTC final playing 11
London [UK], June 10 (ANI): Ahead of their clash against South Africa (SA) in the World Test Championship Final 2025, on June 11 Australia captain Pat Cummins believed that Aussie batter Camreon Green earned a spot in the batting lineup due to his recent good form, and the team thought batting at number three would suit him well. 'Cam Green, the last few weeks he's had, coming back in great form, we thought he deserved a spot in the batting line-up. We thought three probably suits him best. And then, with Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up really. It's not too different to batting three. He's done well here in England in the past,' Pat Cummins said as quoted from ESPNcricinfo. Cummins believed that Australian selectors are giving Marnus Labuschagne more opportunities because he has played a crucial role in getting the team to where they are now, and they are rewarding his contributions. 'I think our selectors are probably showing that they're happy to give someone an extra little run rather than pull the pin too early. He's [Marnus Labuschagne] played some crucial knocks in getting us here. Look back at the MCG [against India], his batting was right up there as a difference in that match. I think it's part of rewarding those guys who have got us here,' he added. Labuschagne has made only 935 runs in 36 innings with a best score of 111 at an average of 28.33, including a century and eight fifties, in the ongoing WTC cycle. Green will play his first Test since back surgery, while Beau Webster retains his spot in the XI and will provide the bowlers some support with his medium pace and spin options. Australia hasn't lost a Test series in the past two years, winning away in New Zealand and Sri Lanka while retaining the Ashes in England in 2023. They also defeated Pakistan and India at home, along with a draw against the West Indies, to secure a spot in the WTC decider against the Proteas. With Australia entering their second consecutive WTC final and South Africa making their first appearance, the stakes couldn't be higher. Australia playing 11 for WTC Final: 1. Usman Khawaja, 2. Marnus Labuschagne, 3. Cameron Green, 4. Steve Smith, 5. Travis Head, 6. Beau Webster, 7. Alex Carey (wk), 8. Pat Cummins (c), 9. Mitchell Starc, 10. Nathan Lyon, 11. Josh Hazlewood. (ANI)