South Africa Vs Australia Live Score, WTC 2025 Final: Follow Scorecard And Match Action From Lord’s

PITCH REPORT – Nasser Hussain is pitchside along with Stuart Broad.

TOSS – Heads is the call from Pat Cummins, but it lands on Tails. Temba Bavuma opts to BOWL first.

Right then, all the hardwork, the ups and downs of the past two years, all of it has led to this moment and both Australia and South Africa will be raring to get going. It is a bit of a muggy morning in London to begin with, but the forecast for Day 1 is positive. With the Playing XIs already locked in, it all comes down to the all-important toss, which is due to happen in just a few minutes’ time. So, stick around as our build-up to the pinnacle Test event continues.

Beyond the tactical battles, this final carries significant narratives. Australia seek to further embellish their legacy as serial winners in ICC events, having already secured the ODI World Cup. For South Africa, this is a golden opportunity to shed the chokers’ tag and clinch their first major ICC trophy in over two decades. The head-to-head records and recent form add further intrigue, with South Africa on a seven-match Test winning streak, while Australia boasts an impressive record in ICC finals under Pat Cummins. All eyes will be on Lord’s as these two cricketing giants vie for the coveted Test Mace.

Both teams enter the final with strategic adjustments to their playing XIs. Australia has opted for Marnus Labuschagne to open alongside Usman Khawaja, showcasing a desire to maximize their batting prowess. Meanwhile, South Africa has bolstered their already formidable pace attack with the inclusion of Lungi Ngidi, who will join the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen in a fiery bowling quartet. The Lord’s pitch is expected to offer assistance to pacers early on, with the possibility of aiding spinners as the match progresses, setting up an intriguing battle between two of the world’s best bowling units.

Hello, and a warm welcome to all cricket aficionados! The highly anticipated 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final is set to ignite at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, pitting defending champions Australia against a determined South African side. This clash marks South Africa’s maiden appearance in the WTC Final, while Australia, fresh off their 2023 triumph, aim to solidify their dominance in the longest format of the game. The stage is perfectly set for a thrilling five-day contest (with a reserve day in hand), promising a captivating display of Test cricket at its finest.

We have arrived at the climax of the 2023-25 World Test Championship cycle, where two heavyweights, South Africa and Australia, will battle it out for the ultimate prize. There is no venue more fitting than the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London to host this summit clash with its rich tradition and deep-rooted place in cricketing history. Australia are making their second consecutive appearance in a World Test Championship final and enter the contest as defending champions. Pat Cummins and his side had to navigate a challenging route to reach Lord’s. They retained the Ashes urn by drawing the marquee series in England and later in the cycle, registered a 3-1 series win over India at home. Their triumph in the final Test of the series at the Sydney Cricket Ground confirmed their place in the final. With 13 wins from 19 matches, the reigning champions finished second in the WTC standings. Usman Khawaja was their most prolific run scorer over the two-year cycle and will once again be a vital presence at the top. The much-anticipated question of who would partner him was finally answered when Pat Cummins revealed the playing XI a day before the match. While both the seasoned Marnus Labuschagne and promising youngster Sam Konstas were in contention, the selectors ultimately favoured Labuschagne’s experience. The return of Cameron Green after back surgery is a big boost. While he will play purely as a batter, his comeback has caused a reshuffle at the top, with Green expected to slot in at number 3. He comes into this final in strong form, having scored centuries in back-to-back games for Gloucestershire in county cricket. Travis Head, Steve Smith and Alex Carey will continue to anchor the middle order, while all-rounder Beau Webster also finds a place in the eleven. Webster offers handy runs with the bat and provides a useful bowling option. As always, selecting the pace attack presents a dilemma for the Australian camp. While Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins were automatic choices, the real contest was for the third seamer’s spot. Both Josh Hazlewood and Scott Boland had strong claims, but ultimately Hazlewood got the nod, leaving Boland as the unlucky omission once again despite his impressive credentials. Veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon will be the solitary specialist spinner, bringing his wealth of experience and control to the fore in a match of this magnitude. Turning to South Africa, their journey to the final gathered momentum in the second half of the cycle. After managing just 1 win in their first 4 matches, they bounced back with 7 successive victories to finish at the top of the table with 8 wins from 12 Tests. David Bedingham finished as the top run scorer for the Proteas and his experience of English conditions through county cricket with Durham could prove vital in this contest. Captain Temba Bavuma also enjoyed a productive campaign and will be central to the batting unit along with Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs and Kyle Verreynne. Ryan Rickelton has been in excellent touch, scoring a double hundred and a century in his last four Test innings. He also struck a promising fifty in the warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe and will be an important figure for South Africa. The playing XI announced by Bavuma on the day before the match saw left-handed opener Tony de Zorzi missing out, with Wiaan Mulder included instead. Mulder strengthens the team with both bat and ball, providing balance and likely taking the number three spot, a role he filled in the warm-up fixture against Zimbabwe. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will lead the pace attack, while Keshav Maharaj will handle the spin duties. For the third seamer, the Proteas had to choose between Lungi Ngidi and Dane Paterson, with Corbin Bosch also under consideration for his seam bowling and batting ability. In the end, Ngidi was given the nod for the final spot. The year 2025 has been one of long-awaited triumphs. From Tottenham Hotspur ending a 17-year wait for a major title to Bologna FC lifting silverware for the first time in 51 years, Crystal Palace finally breaking their 119-year drought, and Newcastle United putting an end to a 70-year trophyless spell, it has been a year defined by teams rewriting history. Most recently, RCB finally ended their long wait by clinching a maiden IPL title. South Africa have also come close to glory many times, only to fall short. Could this be the Rainbow Nation’s moment at last? Or will Australia, the perennial champions, once again assert their dominance and add another trophy to their glittering cabinet? We shall find out..