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With this series win, Australia cruised into the World Test Championship final by finishing second in the World Test Championship final table with 13 wins and four losses and a percentage of 69.44%.
South Africa on the other hand surprised everyone by storming their way into the World Test Championship final by finishing at the top of the points table beating the likes of West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. However, there are lingering question marks over the Proteas ability, as they were beaten by New Zealand at home in the Test series and also drew a 2-match series against India.
Hence, despite finishing at the top of the standings with a 67.54%, South Africa didn’t manage to beat the two toughest teams they faced in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship final. This has meant that South Africa will enter as the underdogs in the ultimate showdown at Lord's while the Pat Cummins led Australia are the clear favourites given their pedigree and nous.
As the ICC World Test Championship Final 2025 inches closer Australia seem to have the edge over South Africa. However, the final will be played at a neutral venue in England and that too at the home of cricket at Lord's. So here’s a look at how each of Australia and South Africa have fared in the past against one another in England.
The rivalry between Australia and South Africa is one of the oldest, fiercest and traditional Test rivalries in the history of the game. Overall, Australia and South Africa have played a total of 101 Test matches between each other and historically Australia have always had the upper hand. Australia have won 54 matches overall while South Africa have won just 26. 21 matches between the two sides have ended in a draw.
In England however, South Africa and Australia have only played three Test matches against one another and that was more than a century ago way back in the year 1912. These three matches were played as a part of the triangular series between England, Australia and South Africa. In the three Tests played between Australia and South Africa in England, Australia has a head to head record of 2-0 over South Africa. Australia won the first two Tests whereas South Africa eventually managed to draw the final Test.
While, historically, Australia might have had the edge, but this will mark the first time in 113 years, Australia and South Africa will play a Test match in England.
As mentioned there have been only three Test matches between Australia and South Africa in England and that was 113 years ago in 1912. These three Test matches were played at three different venues - Lord's, Manchester and Nottingham.
Australia and South Africa will be locking horns with each other at Lord's for the World Test Championship final 2025. This will mark the first Test meeting between the two sides at the home of cricket since 1912. In that match, played from July 15, 1912 to July 17, 1912 Australia emerged victorious by 10 wickets chasing down a total of just 48 in the fourth innings.
In that very same Triangular series in 1912, Australia and South Africa played each other at Old Trafford in Manchester. Australia won by an innings and 88 runs after scoring 448 in first innings and then imposing follow on on South Africa by bundling them for 265 and 95.
The third and final match between Australia and South Africa in the series in 1912 was at Nottingham where eventually after losing the first two games, South Africa was able to salvage a draw.
This is the overall result summary between Australia and South Africa.
Here is the win breakdown by batting 1st/chasing between Australia and South Africa in England
The Kangaroos and the home of cricket share an infamous history and a love hate relationship between each other. There’s no secret that Australia and England is the oldest, most historic, and traditional rivalry in the game’s history and that naturally means both the sides have seen some fierce encounters at the Lord's Cricket Ground.
Australia have played a total of 40 Test matches at the Lord's’ Cricket ground in their history and have emerged victorious in 18 of those Test matches. 16 out of those 18 Test wins have been against England. In their 40 matches, Australia has won 18, lost 15 and drawn 7 Test matches at Lord's.
Given, Lord's is an away ground, Australia boasting a winning record at the home of cricket against their biggest rivals is quite an impressive feat.
The batter with the highest run scored for Australia at the home of cricket in Lord’s is Warren Bardsley. Then came sir Don Bradman who scored 551 runs. While, in modern era Steve Smith’s 215 runs against England at Lord's was the first time an Australian batter scored a double century at Lord’s since World War II.
Glenn McGrath is the leading wicket taker for Australia at Lord's as the swing maestro has taken 26 wickets in just three matches at an unbelievable average of 11.5. Here is the table of the top five leading wicket takers for Australia at Lord's.
Glenn McGrath - 8/38 (1997)
Glenn McGrath's 8/38 at Lord’s in 1997 is one of the most iconic bowling performances in Test cricket history, and arguably his greatest individual effort in an Ashes Test. It was Glenn McGrath’s first ever Test match at Lord’s and till date remains the best bowling figures for an Australian at Lord’s.
Sir Donald Bradman - 254 (1930)
Sir Donald Bradman’s 254 at Lord’s in 1930 is widely regarded not just as one of the finest innings in the history of the Ashes, but also as perhaps the greatest innings of his legendary career according to Bradman himself. It was Bradman’s first Test century in England and Bradman later called his knock “technically the best innings of my life”.
Australia have played 40 Test matches as Lord’s winning 18, losing 15 and drawing 7.
(Please note that this table only reflects the data that is available, all 40 Test matches are not reflected due to lack of information from the period of 1877-1910)
While, South Africa might not have had a deep rooted rivalry against England like the ones Australia, have but still over the course of history, the Proteas have played quite a few encounters at the the home of cricket in Lord's, London. While, historically, in the 19 matches they’ve played at Lord’s till now SA might not have as impressive record as Australia but in recent matches they do so.
South Africa have played a total of 19 matches at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in their history. 18 of those matches were against England while one match was against Australia. Out of these 19 matches, South Africa have won 6, while losing 9 and drawing 4 Test encounters.
Historically, South Africa’s record might not be that impressive but in recent history the Proteas have completely dominated Lord’s. Since the SA cricket board’s reinstatement in 1990, the Proteas have played a total of 7 Test matches at the Home of Cricket. In these seven matches, the Proteas have emerged victorious in 5 encounters and have drawn and lost 1 match each. This record in the last 35 years should give South Africa immense confidence going into the World Test Championship final against Australia starting from June 11th, 2025.
Former South African captain and cricket legend Graeme Smith is the batter who has scored the most runs for the Proteas at the Home of Cricket Lord’s. Graeme Smith has 411 runs with a highest score of 249 at the Home of Cricket. Other top batters in the list include Bruce Mitchell, Hashim Amla and Gary Kirsten.
There is no denying that the fate of the World Test Championship Final in 2025 will depend on who blinks first in the contest at the top. For South Africa, once again Kagiso Rabada, their best Test bowler would be key to break the back of the Australian batting lineup at the top. Rabada in his two matches at Lord’s has already picked up five wickets.
While, Australian opener Usman Khawaja will have the tough task to navigate through the fierce opening spell of Kagiso Rabada who will be supported by the tall left arm gun pacer Marco Jansen. Early wickets could spell trouble for Australia in the final. Hence Usman Khawaja has a big task on his hands.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the 2025 World Test Championship final will be the battle between middle order specialists Tristan Stubbs and Travis Head. Both Tristan Stubbs and Travis Head are not shy of playing attacking and counter attacking cricket to put the opposition bowling line up under pressure and quickly take the game away from them. Whichever batter does better for his side, will more likely tip the scales of the contest.
The biggest battle will be the captaincy battle between Pat Cummins and Temba Bavuma. Pat Cummins already has the know how of winning an ICC tournament having already won the World Test Championship final in 2023 and also winning the ODI Cricket World Cup in 2023.
For Temba Bavuma, his resume might not be as glorious as Pat Cummins but he’s proven to be an efficient and smart leader for the Proteas. History beckons as he could become the first Protea skipper to lead South Africa to an ICC title.
Ultimately, the match will be decided on whichever captain manages to hold their nerve, get their field placements and bowling rotations bang on track. The captain that exceeds in these departments will be the one lifting the maze at the end of the final at Lord’s.
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
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
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