Potential teams for South Africa and Australia in World Test Championship Final
With just over two months until the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's, South Africa and Australia will be deep in thought formulating their plans on how best to claim victory in the one-off match.
While both teams have reasonably settled squads, the make-up of their final XIs are likely to only be determined once the sides arrive at Lord's and get the chance to peruse the pitch that will be used and see what London's early summer weather has to offer.
We take a look at what both teams might look like for the eagerly-awaited battle for the mace and the questions that need to be answered before the first ball is bowled in north London on June 11.
WATCH: Lord's to host 2025 World Test Championship Final
ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 Final Venue unveiled
Potential South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada
Other options: Dane Paterson, Wiaan Mulder, Corbin Bosch, Kwena Maphaka, Matthew Breetzke, Keegan Petersen, Senuran Muthusamy
South Africa's top six looks relatively settled, with Tony de Zorzi's recent Player of the Match performance for Western Province putting him in the box seat to partner experienced opener Aiden Markram in a strong batting line-up.
Skipper Temba Bavuma has been batting at No.5 in recent Tests and will likely continue in this role to provide stroke-maker Tristan Stubbs every opportunity to shine coming in one spot earlier at No.4.
The luxury of having star all-rounder Marco Jansen come in at No.8 provides the Proteas with extra depth to their batting and the tall left-armer will form a dangerous fast bowling attack alongside pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada.
Best of Marco Jansen | CWC23
Best of Marco Jansen | CWC23
With first-choice spinner Keshav Maharaj all but certain to lead the Proteas' spin attack at Lord's, there will be much debate surrounding who earns the spot as third seamer to provide support to Rabada and Jansen.
Fiery right-armer Gerald Coetzee could be in contention if he can overcome his recent injury concerns, while selectors might opt for young southpaw Kwena Maphaka if they want to hit Australia with a pure pace barrage.
The other option would be to take a chance on 30-year-old all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who starred against Pakistan in December in his only Test appearance when he took four wickets in the first innings and contributed an unbeaten 81 with the bat coming in at No.9.
The Aussies won't have seen much of Bosch, so the confident right-armer could prove a shrewd left-field choice for selectors.
Best of Kagiso Rabada | T20WC 2024
Best of Kagiso Rabada | T20WC 2024
Potential Australia XI: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
Other options: Josh Inglis, Scott Boland, Beau Webster, Cooper Connolly, Nathan McSweeney, Matthew Kuhnemann
WATCH: Australia win the 2023 World Test Championship Final
Winning moment of #WTC23 Final
Australia also appear in pretty good shape heading into the one-off Test, with perhaps only one or two spots in their final XI up for grabs.
With star batter Travis Head likely to drop back to his preferred position at No.5 following a brief foray as opener during the recent tour of Sri Lanka, there is every chance teenager Sam Konstas will get the chance to partner veteran opener Usman Khawaja and take the attack to the Proteas and their fearsome bowling attack.
The Aussies will be hoping to have Cameron Green back in their line-up at No.6 for the Lord's clash and the 25-year-old looks likely to win this role if he can prove he has recovered sufficiently from recent back surgery.
Josh Inglis and Beau Webster have done nothing wrong and will be waiting in the wings should selectors opt to take a more cautious route with Green, while youngster Cooper Connolly and back-up batter Nathan McSweeney are other options if injury hits the Aussies' top six.
WATCH: Green catch sends Rahane packing
Cameron Green screamer ends Rahane resistance | WTC23 Final
Cameron Green took a one-handed stunner at gully to send back Ajinkya Rahane on 89.
It could be a head-to-head battle between Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland for the role of third pacer in Australia's line-up and both seamers have a strong case for selection.
Hazlewood has a decent record at Lord's having picked up five wickets in his most recent Test at the iconic venue during the 2023 Ashes series, while Boland did a superb job when filling in for Hazlewood against India in the 2023 World Test Championship Final and is coming off 10 wickets for the match in his last Test appearance.
It's perhaps a good spot for selectors to be in and either option appears a strong one and could provide Australia with a slight edge in the bowling department. ICC World Test Championship ICC World Test Championship Final, 2025 News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Int'l Cricket Council
15 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Labuschagne: Test cricket ‘in a great place' ahead of showpiece at Lord's
Marnus Labuschagne believes Test cricket is in a 'great place' ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final as his Australia side bid to defend their crown. The 30-year-old was part of the XI which defeated India by 209 runs at The Oval in 2023 to lift the trophy for the first time. They now take on South Africa, the country of Labuschagne's birth, at the conclusion of the third edition of a competition the batter feels has helped reinvigorate the game's oldest format. 'It is an exciting tournament,' he said. 'It means every Test you play has something on it, it brings all the countries into play, and anyone can make the final. 'It's exciting to play in, you're playing for a trophy at the end of a two-year cycle. I think it has worked great. Two years ago, when we beat India, it was awesome. 'I'm looking at it from a player's perspective and it looks like the game is in a great place. 'Every time Test cricket is on, people want to watch it. India, Australia and England are probably carrying a bit of the load of Test cricket, but we really want to see all the countries keep producing great players and being part of upholding such an amazing tradition of Test cricket.' Labuschagne has been a lock-in as part of Australia's top order since becoming Test cricket's first-ever concussion substitute at Lord's, the venue for the upcoming final, in the 2019 Ashes. After 14 Tests, his average stood at 63.43 and he spent six months as the world's top-ranked Test batter from December 2021. But runs have been harder to come by in recent times and he averages 28.33 in the current WTC cycle, with just one century. He made valuable contributions against India in the Australian summer, however, with scores of 64 in Adelaide and 70 and 72 in Melbourne, and has been acclimatising to British conditions during his latest stint with Glamorgan, which has become something of a second home. 'I love playing with the guys here, they are close friends, and I love the environment at the club,' he said. 'The benefit of having a relationship with the club for six years is that you have the perks of being able to call the director of cricket and say: 'this is what it looks like, is there a chance we can line this up'. 'Without that relationship, there might be some hesitancy, or you might not get someone in for two games. But that's the benefit of the long-term commitment I have shown over the last six years.' Labuschagne is not the only Australian impressing in the County Championship, with fit-again Cameron Green among the runs for Gloucestershire and all-rounder Beau Webster impressing with Warwickshire. 'I spoke to Greeny last week, he's going well,' Labuschagne said. 'I think he's just enjoying being back playing and being able to be on the park after being out for as long as he was. 'I haven't spoken too much to Beau but I'm sure we will reunite in the next week or so, get back on the golf course and have a bit of chat before we get ready for the final. 'It (county cricket) just stands you in good stead as you are out playing games, you are in that competitive mindset, and you get yourself in that headspace again. 'In a one-off game, to pull all that together and get it right in the first innings can feel like a lot to do. I personally prefer it to get a bit of preparation time in before a big game like this.' Green's return to fitness and form has given Australia's selectors a dilemma as to the make-up of their batting order, with speculation Labuschagne may be moved up to open from his usual spot at number three. Teenage opener Sam Konstas, who made a 52-ball half-century on debut against India in December, is also part of the travelling squad and Labuschagne is excited to see how the latest cab off the Australian rank develops. 'He is a very talented player, and we haven't seen the best of him by any stretch of the imagination,' he said. 'He's got time, and he is someone we are investing in. You can't ever predict what the future holds but he is a very good player who will have a very good career.' Australia last faced South Africa in a Test series in 2022-23, with the hosts running out 2-0 winners Down Under. The latest instalment has silverware on the line and Labuschagne is determined to leave London with his hands on it. 'South Africa have been a very good team in this cycle, on paper it's a well-balanced side and they have some really nice players,' he said. 'It will be a good challenge for us, and we are going to have to be on our game. 'Playing at Lord's is always special with the history and what is involved with playing there. It's going to be an awesome week and another great match.' ENDS
Gulf Today
15 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Australia struggle to fill gaping opener hole left by Warner with WTC final looming
Filling the giant shoes of David Warner continues to be a headache for Australia 17 months after the bombastic Test opener retired, with Marnus Labuschagne shaping as the latest contender in the World Test Championship final against South Africa. Warner pulled stumps on the red-ball game in January last year after 112 Tests and 8,786 runs, long accompanied at the top of the order by Usman Khawaja. Khawaja will open again in the blockbuster clash at Lord's starting on June 11, potentially with a fifth different partner since Warner called it quits. Steve Smith initially plugged the hole, but only lasted four Tests before dropping back down to four and giving Nathan McSweeney a chance. McSweeney struggled against the Jasprit Bumrah-led India late last year, with gung-ho teenager Sam Konstas then thrust into the limelight in spectacular fashion during the home series. He scored a blazing 60 with a slew of unorthodox shots on debut, but was less effective in the next Test and was jettisoned in favour of Travis Head for their tour of Sri Lanka this year. With Head set to revert to five, the chatter is that it's now a toss-up between Konstas, who has been working on technical aspects of his batting, and Labuschagne to open against the Proteas. But the experienced Labuschagne has struggled for form at number three and is under threat from Cameron Green, who has been in magnificent touch since returning from back surgery. Green has plundered three centuries in five county championship matches for Gloucester and is tipped to start at first drop, which could thrust Labuschagne to the top of the Test order for the first time aged 30. 'I have just got a bit of a feeling that Marnus Labuschagne might be pushed up the order to open the batting with Khawaja,' Australia great Ricky Ponting said on the ICC Review. 'I think Green will bat at three and Steve Smith will be at four. Then it's Travis Head at five.' Since Ponting commented, Australia skipper Pat Cummins has confirmed that Smith will bat at four, but added: 'Everyone else, I'm not willing to (say).' Josh Inglis has not been discounted to open either with chief selector George Bailey insisting the position does not need to be a specialist role. 'I do think it's a role that more people could do,' he said. Australia could be searching for yet another new opener sooner rather than later with uncertainty over whether 38-year-old Khawaja will continue after the home Ashes series against England beginning later this year. But fellow veteran Smith, 36, shows few signs of slowing down. He has hit four hundreds in his past five Tests and often excels in English conditions. He starred in Australia's triumph in the last WTC final in 2023 at the Oval, scoring a first-innings century that helped set the tone for a big win over India. Smith was also in red-hot form the last time he played a Test at Lord's, smacking a ton against England while making his second-highest Test score of 215 at the ground in 2015. 'We have got some pretty fond memories at Lord's and personally I have got some fond memories as well, so we are looking forward to getting started,' Smith told reporters. Meanwhile, Australian fast bowler Starc is comfortable with his decision to leave the Indian Premier League (IPL) following the India-Pakistan clashes last month regardless of any repercussions, the 35-year-old said. The IPL was suspended on May 9 in the wake of hostilities between the two. It resumed on May 17 after the nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire. 'I'm comfortable with my decision and how I felt about the whole situation and how it was handled,' Starc told the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday. 'Time will tell with repercussions or how it looks with guys that didn't return. But I've had my questions and concerns leading into that game, and obviously we saw what happened, which played a part in my decision.' Agencies
Int'l Cricket Council
15 hours ago
- Int'l Cricket Council
Labuschagne upbeat on Test cricket ahead of Lord's final
Marnus Labuschagne believes that Test cricket is in "great place" as he prepares for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship Final. The 30-year-old is set to join the rest of the Australian squad in their bid to defend the title against South Africa at Lord's, with the highly anticipated clash set to begin on June 11. 'It is an exciting tournament,' he said. 'It means every Test you play has something on it, it brings all the countries into play, and anyone can make the final. You're playing for a trophy at the end of a two-year cycle. I think it has worked great. Two years ago, when we beat India, it was awesome 'I'm looking at it from a player's perspective and it looks like the game is in a great place.' Labuschagne was part of the Australian team that clinched the ICC World Test Championship title in 2023, when they defeated India by 209 runs at The Oval to lift the trophy for the first time. 'Every time Test cricket is on, people want to watch it. India, Australia and England are probably carrying a bit of the load of Test cricket, but we really want to see all the countries keep producing great players and being part of upholding such an amazing tradition of Test cricket.' Labuschagne solidified his place in the Australian setup during the 2019 Ashes at Lord's, famously becoming cricket's first-ever concussion substitute. That moment marked the beginning of a prolific phase for the South African-born batter, who went on to average an impressive 63.43 after 14 Tests and held the No.1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for six months starting December 2021. However, the current World Test Championship cycle has been more challenging for Labuschagne, with the right-hander averaging 28.33 with a lone century. To adapt to British conditions and rediscover his form ahead of the WTC Final, he has been turning out for Glamorgan—his county stint proving to be something of a second home for him. 'I love playing with the guys here, they are close friends, and I love the environment at the club,' he said. 'The benefit of having a relationship with the club for six years is that you have the perks of being able to call the director of cricket and say: 'this is what it looks like, is there a chance we can line this up'. 'Without that relationship, there might be some hesitancy, or you might not get someone in for two games. But that's the benefit of the long-term commitment I have shown over the last six years.' Australia odd couple Labuschagne and Smith brought together by love of batting | WTC23 Final The Australia squad give an insight into playing with Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith ahead of the ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 Labuschagne isn't alone in the County Championship, with fellow Australian all-rounders Beau Webster and Cameron Green also featuring alongside him. Webster is representing Gloucestershire, while Green, making his return from injury, is turning out for Warwickshire. 'I spoke to Greeny last week, he's going well,' Labuschagne said 'I think he's just enjoying being back playing and being able to be on the park after being out for as long as he was. 'I haven't spoken too much to Beau but I'm sure we will reunite in the next week or so, get back on the golf course and have a bit of chat before we get ready for the final. 'It (county cricket) just stands you in good stead as you are out playing games, you are in that competitive mindset, and you get yourself in that headspace again.' Australia last faced South Africa in a Test series during the 2022-23 season, where Australia secured a 2-0 series victory on home soil. This time, with the ICC World Test Championship title up for grabs, Labuschagne is determined to leave London with the silverware in hand. 'South Africa have been a very good team in this cycle, on paper it's a well-balanced side and they have some really nice players,' he said 'It will be a good challenge for us, and we are going to have to be on our game. Playing at Lord's is always special with the history and what is involved with playing there. It's going to be an awesome week and another great match.'
