Overview

• The final runs June 11–15 at Lord’s in London, where reigning champions Australia aim for back-to-back World Test Championship victories against first-time finalists South Africa.
• Australia’s opening slot remains unsettled, with Usman Khawaja joined by contenders Marnus Labuschagne or debutant Sam Konstas while Josh Hazlewood looks set to replace Scott Boland in the pace attack.
• Proteas fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen have been singled out by Steve Smith as the biggest threat to Australia’s batting on the fifth-day deck.
• A dry Lord’s surface is expected to break up and favour spin later in the match, elevating the roles of Nathan Lyon for Australia and Keshav Maharaj for South Africa.
• Aiden Markram says this Proteas squad has put past ICC final disappointments behind them and arrives confident of ending South Africa’s two-decade title drought.