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The end of the current two year cycle has its place at the home of cricket where for the first time, the trophy will be held aloft the famous Lord’s balcony.

Check out the Racing And Sports Preview for the WTC Final with a betting idea at the end.

AUSTRALIA v SOUTH AFRICA

WTC Final

11 – 15 June 2025 @ Lord's

Geopolitics encompasses much of the news media (naturally) and cricket gets entwined in that given some of the biggest players are cricketing nations.

However, sometimes the sport itself becomes a lovely distraction rather than the focus of attention.

Let's hope the playing of the World Test Championship at Lord's does just that when Australia goes for back to back titles against first time participant South Africa.

Due to the timing of this event, once again essentially off the back of the IPL, sufficient first class preliminaries are questionable. But given both sides had players eligible for the IPL or PSL, they should basically be in the same boat.

Actually this WTC is almost a prelim in of itself for Australia as it heads to the West Indies for a 3-Test Series.

The other major news item prior to Lord's was the drug test failure of South Africa's trump card Kagiso Rabada. The South African Institute for Drug Free Sports (SAIDS) confirmed the failing of the test back at the start of year.

But the ban was commuted to one month and has been served already. These things are important social issues and should never be taken lightly. You would assume by June that his head would be back in a better place.

After a period of time where they were in the form wilderness, his side has turned around their plight. From the start of the decade, there have been better performances.

So much so they bring in seven Test wins on the trot. Importantly some were away from home too as that is what is required this time.

Their issue is none were against the 'big three'. But at least winning is a nice ingredient. Confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Some new names came to the fore like Ryan Rickelton in the top order around those we know well like Markham, skipper Bavuma and keeper Verreynne.

As with most Protea sides, when they are strongest, the ball is their domain. Alongside Rabada's excellence, the tall left arm Jansen, Paterson, Bosch and the spin off Maharaj support well.

You would think Lord's would be amenable to a bit of everything – albeit a test so early in the season might be more of the green top seamers.

As for the Antipodeans, a strong 2024 saw them surge into the Final. The Kiwis were overrun over there, India was a rebirth after a debacle in Perth and very honest play in Sri Lanka – somewhere they have not conquered well.

However what hasn't been settled is the actual side. Many a newcomer has been tried and not that many have succeeded to any great extent.

Nathan McSweeney, like so many in the Indian series, got 'Bumrahed' with regularity. After his 'demise', the selectors went younger and far more eccentric.

The Sam Konstas experiment may not be over long term, but it was weird and it was wonderful to the extreme. It began in extraordinary circumstances with more ramps than used by the Sydney Harbour boating community.

He planted Bumrah into grandstands and riled up Siraj who was enemy number one with the locals. Tack on the shoulder charge (NRL sanction incoming) from the now retired Virat Kohli and a schism had been invented/exploited.

India never really recovered from that for the rest of the series. It was job done. And yet Konstas did not even survive the next three weeks as Travis Head ventured up to open.

Inglis and Webster were now part of the mix with Steve Smith in charge after the paternity ward got Pat Cummins.

Will this Test and those in the Caribbean become try outs for the upcoming Ashes or be seen as a separate form guide? The former is likely given the critical importance of beating England to every Australian cricket follower.

These neutral sides head to Lord's for the first time as the initial WTC was at Southampton for NZ to defeat India and second being India again knocked over at The Oval by the Aussies.

It will certainly be the last time at the home of cricket for a few notables.

Nathan Lyon for one, probably Starc and Hazlewood, definitely Khawaja and likely Smith. The following Ashes will be a sea change.

You have to like Starc bowling down the slope from the Pavilion End. His form over the last 12 months has been exemplary. He has been the best Australian bowler over that extended period in all forms of the game.

Cameron Green is back – literally. Well at least in the squad but does he play? It will be hard to leave him out given his Country form. And if so where? He was in the top 4 in New Zealand. Where does that place Smith and Labuschagne. Head is the only certainty in terms of place but position once more?

Could we see a line up something as obscure as Khawaja, Labuschagne, Green, Smith, Head, Webster, Carey and the bowlers who have been set in stone for a century almost!

And just to add any more spice for the fixture, South Africa is utilising the pantomime agent Stuart Broad for some brief consulting work.  Maybe he will just be teaching them to hold their ground when knicking to first slip or re-arranging the bails in front of a batsman?

Even if it is for serious consultancy, you can bet the use of brinkmanship has to be part of it. At least some bouncer barrage a tactic to behold.

South Africa is definitely a hope. This is an ageing and underdone Aussie team. Their opponents are light on for distinguished and significant match practice too.

But if we get a spicy Lord's pitch, as can be the case early in the English season, that gives their noted attack hope. Just remember back to Brisbane and that two day test in 2022 spanning about 145 overs on a juicy Gabba.

There will be plenty of attention on those who have had the recent outings and given his fitness, form and momentum, Josh Hazlewood seems a natural danger to rival batsman.

With the recent bish, bash, bosh of various T20 leagues now subsided, let's enjoy the 'slightly' more sedatory nature of Test Cricket. That is where run rates are now about 5RPO not the old 3.