Cricket's grandest stage is set! Defending champions Australia will clash with South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final starting Wednesday, June 11, at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. As the two cricketing powerhouses prepare for battle, we bring you everything you need to know – from pitch conditions to past records and key performers.

🏟️ Pitch Report – Lord’s Cricket Ground

The pitch at Lord’s is known for its early movement and swing. Pacers are expected to enjoy the new ball in the first two sessions, making Day 1 morning crucial for batting sides. However, as the game progresses, the pitch tends to flatten out and supports stroke-play, giving batters a chance to dominate.

🔹 Average First Innings Score: 310
🔹 Toss Advantage: Teams batting first have won 53 times, while teams bowling first have won 43 out of 147 Tests.
🔹 Pace & Patience: The surface demands patience from batters and discipline from bowlers.

📊 Head-to-Head Record at Lord’s

🇦🇺 Australia at Lord’s:

• Matches Played: 40

• Wins: 18 | Losses: 7 | Draws: 15

• Win %: 45%

🇿🇦 South Africa at Lord’s:

• Matches Played: 18

• Wins: 6 | Losses: 8 | Draws: 4

• Win %: 33.33%

📅 Last Meeting at Lord’s: The two teams last faced off at Lord’s in 1912, when Australia defeated South Africa by 10 wickets – a historical throwback before this epic modern-day clash.

🔑 Key Players to Watch

🔸 Australia:

• Steve Smith – A master at Lord’s, Smith has scored 525 runs in 5 Tests here at an impressive average of 58.33, with 2 centuries and 2 half-centuries.

• Pat Cummins – The Aussie skipper has a knack for English conditions. In just 2 Tests at Lord’s, he has bagged 10 wickets and will be crucial with the new ball.

🔹 South Africa:

• Kagiso Rabada – Rabada has dominated at Lord’s with 13 wickets in 2 Tests, including a 5-wicket haul in his most recent outing.

• Marco Jansen – A young all-rounder to watch. In his only appearance at this venue, he scored 48 runs and took 4 wickets – showing promise with both bat and ball.

🧠 What to Expect in the Final?

Australia come in as favourites not just due to their title defence but because of their strong track record at Lord’s. South Africa, however, have the pace firepower to challenge the Aussies, especially if Rabada and Jansen strike early.

This WTC Final is not just a match – it’s a legacy battle. Will the Aussies continue their dominance, or can the Proteas script history?