The long-awaited ICC World Test Championship Final gets underway on Wednesday, 11 June, with the action live from the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. Australia will face South Africa in a clash to determine who lifts the coveted trophy. We take a look at the match from a betting perspective and suggest a couple of plays for your consideration.
SOUTH AFRICA
The Proteas come into this final with limited match practice. They recently played a four-day warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe, but persistent rain meant only one day of play was possible. South Africa declared on 313/2 and managed to grab an early wicket, but the match ultimately ended in a draw. Unfortunately, this means the Proteas head into this high-stakes encounter somewhat undercooked.
Their last official Test action came during the 2024/25 home summer, where they hosted Pakistan. South Africa claimed a 2-0 series win, narrowly winning the Boxing Day Test at SuperSport Park by 2 wickets, followed by a dominant 10-wicket victory at Newlands in the New Year Test.
The squad blends experienced players with promising young talent:
South Africa squad: Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Aiden Markram, Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Keshav Maharaj, Senuran Muthusamy.
AUSTRALIA
Australia enter the final in impressive form, having comfortably dealt with their recent opponents. They last played a two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at Galle, claiming an innings and 242-run victory in the first Test, followed by a 9-wicket win in the second.
Prior to that, they hosted India in a five-match Test series between November 2024 and January 2025. Australia emerged victorious with a 3-1 series win, with one match drawn—another demonstration of their depth and consistency.
Pat Cummins leads a settled and formidable squad:
Australia squad: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Beau Webster, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Scott Boland, Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann.
Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett
Head-to-Head
These two sides haven’t met often in recent years in the Test arena. Their last encounter came in a three-match series played in Australia during December 2022 and January 2023.
Australia dominated the series:
- 1st Test (Brisbane): Australia won by 6 wickets
- 2nd Test (Melbourne): Australia won by an innings and 182 runs
- 3rd Test (Sydney): Match drawn
The series ended 2-0 in favour of the hosts.
Weather Forecast
Conditions at Lord’s from Wednesday through Sunday look mostly favourable for uninterrupted play. The forecast predicts partly cloudy skies for the bulk of the match, with only a slight chance of scattered showers on Thursday. Overall, it appears the Test will be played under good conditions, making a draw unlikely.
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BETTING – click here to bet
South Africa 3.50
Draw 12.00
Australia 1.42
I would love to see a Protea win but the betting looks about right. The Proteas will need a couple of their bowlers to fire as the batting line up looks fragile.
Suggested Bets
1st Innings – Steve Smith to Score 50+ @ 2.40
Smith is a world-class batsman, particularly strong in English conditions where he has already amassed 2,255 Test runs. His ability to absorb pressure and build innings makes him an excellent pick to cross the 50-run mark in the first innings.
1st Innings – South Africa Top Bowler: Marco Jansen @ 2.45
Jansen continues to develop into a potent weapon for the Proteas. His height, bounce, and left-arm angle could cause real problems at Lord’s. If he finds his rhythm early, he has every chance of leading the wicket column for South Africa in the first innings.
Note: All prices are correct at the time of writing but subject to change.
