Konstas kept out of Test side as Labuschagne opens

Sydney Morning Herald

2 days ago

London: Marnus Labuschagne has kept Sam Konstas out of the Australian team for the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Captain Pat Cummins confirmed the team at 1pm local time in London, with Cameron Green coming back at number three in the order and Josh Hazlewood beating Scott Boland for the third pace bowling spot.
As the world's best team over the past four years, Australia are more or less a well-known quantity entering the World Test Championship final at Lord's.
Aside from some doubts about Labuschagne's place in their future, Cummins' team is extremely settled, with vast experience and plenty of confidence in themselves.
Lately, Cummins, his deputy Steve Smith and others have hinted they may well keep playing for longer than once thought, an indicator of how much they are enjoying the game at present. There are few surprises about the setup, just a lot of quality and durability in the face of advancing years. They do not look like a fading force.
The biggest question this week, then, is about South Africa. Are they up to challenging Australia in a one-off game to decide the title, or might they find themselves revisiting the hated 'chokers' tag that has followed the Proteas around at showpiece finals for most of the past three decades?
Tellingly, South Africa's coach, the plain-speaking Shukri Conrad, has not been shy about forcing his players to confront that tag. In December, when the Proteas looked like they might cough up a winning position against Pakistan on home soil when qualification for the final was up for grabs, he challenged the team not to choke.
The result was a narrow victory, and Conrad revisited that territory this week.