LONDON: Australia, despite a lengthy break from red-ball cricket, remain favourites to defend their World Test Championship (WTC) title against a similarly undercooked South Africa in the final at Lord’s, beginning Wednesday.
The five-day encounter follows months dominated by limited-overs cricket, leaving both sides scrambling to regain their Test-match rhythm. Australia’s last Test appearance was in February, when they secured a top-two finish in the WTC standings with a victory over Sri Lanka in Galle, confirming their place in the final for the 2023–25 cycle.
South Africa, on the other hand, secured top spot with a win against Pakistan at home in January, marking their first-ever WTC final appearance. Their qualification came after a streak of seven consecutive victories. However, critics argue that their path to the final was less convincing, with no matches against heavyweights Australia or England. Former England captain Michael Vaughan dismissed their campaign, claiming they reached the final by “beating pretty much nobody”—a consequence of an unbalanced Test calendar where Australia, England, and India play the bulk of the marquee fixtures, while South Africa prioritize limited-overs matches for financial reasons.
A victory at Lord’s, however, could shift that perception. “It’s the biggest moment for this team and for South African cricket right now,” said coach Shukri Conrad.
Australia have been preparing at Beckenham in Kent, fine-tuning their lineup. A decision looms over whether to field Scott Boland or Josh Hazlewood alongside captain Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and spinner Nathan Lyon. Cameron Green is expected to return after over a year, likely batting at No. 3. This may push Marnus Labuschagne to open with Usman Khawaja, with Steve Smith slotting in at No. 4.
South Africa’s own preparations suffered a setback, as their four-day warm-up against Zimbabwe at Arundel was mostly washed out. However, Wiaan Mulder may be promoted to No. 3 in a batting lineup that has struggled for consistency. Their hopes rest heavily on a potent pace attack led by Kagiso Rabada, who returns following a one-month suspension for recreational drug use.
Australia won the previous WTC final against India at The Oval in 2023. New Zealand claimed the inaugural title in 2021.
Critics Slam WTC Format as Fundamentally Flawed
The structure of the World Test Championship continues to draw sharp criticism. Wisden’s editor, Lawrence Booth, described the competition as a “shambles masquerading as a showpiece” in this year’s edition of cricket’s most respected almanack.
Former England captain Michael Atherton echoed those concerns, noting that “everyone knows the WTC in its current format is flawed.”
A core issue is the absence of fixtures between key teams due to political tensions—most notably, India and Pakistan haven’t played a Test since 2007. Moreover, the competition lacks uniformity, as teams don’t face each other equally or play the same number of Tests. Nations can choose how many games they play within the two-year cycle, resulting in an uneven playing field.
Booth has called for the cycle to be extended to four years, with all top-nine teams playing each other home and away in at least three-match series to ensure fairness.
Standings are currently determined by the percentage of available points won, not total points. One architect of the points system, speaking anonymously to AFP, acknowledged the challenge: “It’s hard to find a solution that satisfies everyone, especially with issues like India-Pakistan not playing each other.”
