World Test Championship cricket live blog: Over-by-over updates as South Africa win the toss and elect to bowl against Australia

It’s a great start for the South African pace bowler, who keeps Labuschagne and Khawaja to nil after the first over.

It comes after cricket great James Anderson dubbed the 30-year-old one of his favourite bowlers in the world right now.

The English cricket great, who took 123 Test wickets at Lord’s, explained he couldn’t wait to see Rabada go up against Steve Smith this week.

‘The main one for me will be Rabada against Steve Smith and I think that could be a really good, interesting battle,’ he explained.

‘Steve Smith is one of the best batters in the world and Kagiso Rabada is one of my favourite bowlers to watch.

‘I think he’s got so many attributes that just make me want to tune into the TV and watch him. He’s a fantastic player, so I’m really looking forward to that battle.’

Here he is getting some instruction from Anderson’s former bowling partner Stuart Broad on Monday…

I’ve just been in the Long Room, scene of those shenanigans two years ago when MCC members reacted angrily to the stumping of Jonny Bairstow in the second Ashes Test, and I’m happy to report that everyone was on their best behaviour this time as the Australians prepared to take the field for the national anthems. Here’s hoping harmony continues to reign.

We’ve had the anthems and it’s now time for the first ball!

Kagiso Rabada has the new ball and Usman Khawaja is on strike.

It’s a great start and it feels like good bowling conditions.

Rabada throws a lovely ball straight down the middle of the wicket and it swings out across the face of Khawaja’s bat.

As for the pitch, it looks a bit tufty which again might help the ball move.

Aussie star Matthew Hayden has given his verdict on what it’s like to open in conditions like these…

‘It’s terrifying!’ he says to Sky Sports. ‘But you’ve just got to wear the ball down!’

During his glittering Test career, Stuart Broad took 604 Test wickets, 153 of those wickets came against Australia – the most of any player in the red ball format.

Given his experience of taking wickets against Australia, South Africa have drafted him in on a consultancy basis to help him give them an edge in their quest to claim their first World Test Championship.

Broad, who also enjoyed some fantastic days at Lord’s, going on to take 113 wickets at the home of cricket, joined up with South Africa on Monday to give their bowlers, including star man Kasigo Rabada on how to deal with the Lord’s slope.

‘It’s very much about the tactics of that particular ground and the nuances which that slope brings. A lot of overseas bowlers can sometimes take a spell to get used to playing there,’ he told Sky Sports Cricket.

‘I’ll just have conversations with a few of their guys on field placements and how to settle and just the differences that Lord’s can bring to different bowlers.’

And Broad is also back to work on the live coverage of the match too!

From a trip to play a game of ‘farm-yard’ cricket with Jeremy Clarkson at his Diddly Squat Farm to spending some time with his family in London, Pat Cummins has certainly had a busy week!

Two years on from Australia’s epic WTC Final victory against India, it seems their arch rivals have found a way to get one back over the Aussies.

In a bizarre twist of events on the eve of the 2025 WTC Final, Australia were bumped off their scheduled training session at Lord’s, with India coming to train at the hallowed ground instead.

The switch-up in the training schedule left Pat Cummins’ side scrambling for an alternative training venue.

Many were left stunned by the move, especially considering India and England aren’t due to play at Lord’s until July 10.

Here’s why the bizarre situation unfolded…

Pat Cummins and Temba Bavuma will be giving their final messages inside the dressing rooms as we speak.

I wonder what each captain will say to their sides…

Temba Bavuma elects to bowl.

Our man Lawrence Booth is at Lord’s today and he’s delivered his verdict on the conditions below…

It’s a grey morning here at Lord’s, and a big cheer went up from the South African contingent when Temba Bavuma won the toss. They knew what that meant: South Africa will bowl first and seek to exploit the old adage that, at Lord’s, you look up, not down. If the Dukes ball swings, this could be a fascinating pre-lunch session.

Temba Bavuma has unveiled a very strong XI to take on Australia.

The Proteas, who topped the WTC league this year, with Ryan Rickelton headlining alongside Aiden Markram at the top of the order.

Interestingly, Wiaan Mulder comes into the batting line-up at No 3 after being tried in the role in their recent Tests 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.’

Keshav Maharaj is the designated full-time spinner and joins a prolific bowling contingent that includes Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi.

On Tuesday, the defending champions named their side for this week’s final.

The shock news was that Usman Khawaja will have his fifth opening partner in 18 months, with Marnus Labuschagne pushing up the order to bat alongside him.

Josh Hazlewood returns to the side over Scott Boland and will team-up with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins as Australia’s quicks.

Cameron Green returns to play for the first time since undergoing back surgery.

Cummins was pressed further on the call to push Labuschagne up the order, insisting that he was only moving up by one spot in the line-up.

‘With Marnus moving, we thought it’s one spot up really,’ he explained.

‘It’s not too different to batting three.’

‘Opening the batting can be tough, but it can also be sometimes the best time to bat, before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging.’

And in overcast conditions the ball is certainly set to start swinging today at Lord’s…

Is it make-or-break for Marnus Labuschagne this week at Lord’s?

Perhaps, but the pressure is certainly on the Queensland star, who has struggled with the bat over the past two years.

Now, Pat Cummins has taken the bold move to push him up the order with the 30-year-old set to open for Australia, with Sam Konstas missing out on a call-up.

It means since David Warner’s retirement, Khawaja will have his FIFTH opening partner in the space of 18 months.

While the move has garnered some scrutiny, Cummins has defended his decision to bring the Brisbane Heat batter into the top of the order.

He explained that the decision was partly a reward for how Labuschagne had helped the side reach the final.

‘Marns, again, he’s played some crucial knocks in getting us here. You look back to the MCG (against India) and his batting was right up there as a difference in that match. So, yeah, I think it’s partly (about) rewarding those guys who got us here.

Cummins also revealed the advice he has given to his team-mate, telling reporters on Tuesday: ‘We love when they’re [batters] are busy and putting pressure back on the bowlers.

‘That’s our message here to Marnus, opening the batting can be tough but it can also be the best time to bat before the Dukes ball actually starts swinging and there’s runs to be scored.

‘So it’s keeping that positive intent, (which) is when he’s batting at his best.

‘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.’

But it’s a little bit overcast… and that makes it a perfect day for a bowl here at Lord’s as Australia and South Africa prepare for the 2025 World Test Championship final.

I’m just hoping the rain is going to hold off, and it looks like it might just do that.

Forecasts are predicting it is going to stay dry throughout the day and we’ll get a few breaks in the cloud from around 12pm onwards.

But we’ve got what’s set to be a thrilling Test match in store and there’s plenty of storylines going on behind the scenes.

Australia have interestingly backed Marnus Labuschagne to open, and this is, perhaps a make-or-break opportunity for the Queenslander.

Multiple English stars have also been raising their heads as arch rivals Australia set out to defend their WTC crown. Jimmy Anderson shot a dig at Pat Cummins, while Stuart Broad has joined up with South Africa’s bowling coaches… make of that what you will.

Stay with us as we’ll be bringing you live over-by-over updates and all the latest commentary, analysis and news from the 2025 World Test Championship Final.