![\"\"](\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/udexpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/AFP_cricket-practice-1024x695.jpg\")
“I think both teams have formidable bowling attacks,” he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The real opportunity is within the two batting line-ups and how they are able to kind of front up and give their bowlers a score to bowl at.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Several players in South Africa’s side will be new to Australia, with the champions’ captain, Pat Cummins, saying: “I think we’re going to have to problem solve on our feet a bit more.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shambles masquerading as a showpiece<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The WTC’s format has faced widespread criticism, with Wisden, the sport’s most revered publication, proclaiming it “a shambles masquerading as a showpiece”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Political tensions mean India and Pakistan have not played a Test against each other since 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The nine-nation WTC is further skewed because the teams are not all required to face each other or to play the same number of matches, with positions in the table based on the percentage of available points won.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa played just 12 Tests in the current cycle — all of them two-match series — compared to England’s 22, and have not faced either England or Australia, who reached the final with 13 wins from 19 Tests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conrad countered the criticism of his side’s path to the final by pointing out they had enjoyed wins over teams who had beaten the ‘Big Three’ of India, Australia and England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“One of the ‘nobodies’ we beat won a Test match in Australia — West Indies beat Australia in a Test match. They are not nobody,” insisted Conrad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“New Zealand beat India, three-zip in India. New Zealand is not a nobody.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This week’s match is only the third WTC final, with New Zealand the inaugural champions in 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for all its faults, Cummins is adamant the WTC is a prize worth winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You’ve got to basically win in all different conditions to make it into this final,” the fast bowler said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If we can retain that mace, that’s a pretty awesome thing for this team.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a9 Agence France-Presse<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The WTC final runs from 11 to 14 June and will be televised daily on SuperSport 201 and 209, with the match getting underway at 10:30.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
South Africa will aim to banish their reputation as international cricket’s serial chokers when they face holders Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s this week. 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Proteas aim to banish choker tag in WTC final against Australia | UD Express (Uitenhage)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/proteas-aim-to-banish-choker-tag-in-wtc-final-against-australia\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Proteas aim to banish choker tag in WTC final against Australia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"South Africa will aim to banish their reputation as international cricket’s serial chokers when they face holders Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s this week. 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