Australia and South Africa Announced Their Playing 11 Ahead of The World Test Championship Final

Lord’s (England) June 10: The Australian team has decided to go ahead with Marnus Labuschagne to partner up with Usman Khawaja for the opening position in the World Test Championship final against South Africa. The defending WTC champions have failed to find a solution for the big gap at the opening slot since the retirement of David Warner 17 months ago.

Steve Smith was the first one who put his hands up for the big role after Warner’s retirement, but the move didn’t pan out well and he was dropped to his old position at number after just four Tests. Nathan McSweeney got the chance to fill in the big shoes in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but he failed to get going against Jasprit Bumrah and Co. Sam Konstas was thrust into the side during the home series. He scored a blazing 60 on debut, but was less effective in the next Test and was jettisoned in favour of Travis Head for Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka.

But with Head reverting to five, Labuschagne, best known as a number three, has been promoted to open for the first time in his Test career.

Cameron Green, who recently recovered from the injury, got back into the Australia XI straightaway for the massive clash.

“Cam Green, the last few weeks, he’s had coming back in great form, we thought he deserves a spot somewhere in the batting line-up,” Cummins said on the eve of the final.

“We thought three probably suits him best. And then with Marnus moving, we thought it’s one spot up, it’s not too different to batting at three. He’s done well here in England in the past.”

Josh Hazlewood picked over Scott Boland

Fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has been selected ahead of Scott Boland, with all-rounder Beau Webster included to provide back-up overs, given Green is still not fit to bowl. Boland took 10 wickets in his last Test as Australia defeated India in Sydney to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure a spot in the WTC final. But he has never played at Lord’s, where Hazlewood, only recently returned from a shoulder problem in the Indian Premier League, has taken 13 wickets in three Tests.

“There are some guys where you genuinely say, you’ve done nothing wrong, don’t change a thing and that’s Scotty,” said fellow paceman Cummins. “He is just really unfortunate to miss out.”

South Africa captain Temba Bavuma, on Tuesday, revealed the team’s combination for the World Test Championship final against Australia, which will begin on June 11 at the Lord’s. The proteas picked Royal Challengers Bengaluru bowler Lungi Ngidi in the playing XI ahead of the in-form Dane Paterson.

“Probably one of the tougher decisions that has been made. We see what Dane Paterson did for us to the end of last season,” Bavuma explained the notion behind the Ngidi move. “But it was more from a tactical point of view. Probably a little bit more pace from Lungi, guess he’s a bit taller as well. Lungi also has a better record, not taking away anything from Patto. He (Ngidi) has the experience, he’s played here before, not that Patto hasn’t. But I think he (Ngidi) will complement that bowling attack a little more. We have a guy like Mulder, who can give us something similar like Patto.

Another notable pick in the playing XI was sticking with Wiaan Mulder at No.3 after his recent exploits in the series against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.

“Mulder is quite young in that position. But I think having played with Mulder, having seen him and the way he has grown in the last two years within the red-ball format,” Bavuma said.

“It’s about giving him a lot more confidence, keep backing him and just allowing him to do what he does best. He has an opportunity in a pressure situation, but I think he can take comfort from the fact that the guys are backing him. We just want him to play his game."

Teams

Australia

Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

South Africa

Temba Bavuma (capt), Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton(wkt), Wiaan Mulder, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.