NEWS
Follow UsSouth Africa won their last seven Tests to confirm a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s but former Proteas all-rounder Shaun Pollock believes Temba Bavuma and his men won’t enter the marquee class as favourites. Pollock feels it will be Pat Cummins’ Australia who will have the upper hand, considering their dominant record in ICC knockout games.
The Proteas lost the 2024 T20 World Cup final against India and haven’t won an ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 1998, then called the ICC Knockout Trophy. Meanwhile, Australia are currently the defending WTC champions and also won the 2023 ODI World Cup. They recently defeated India 3-1 in a five-match Test series, winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in 10 years.
"I think it's going to be a tough one for South Africa. I don't think we are going in as favourites. Let's be honest. If you look at the way Australia is playing their Test cricket, and you also look at the make-up of the South African side. But the funny thing about Lord's in June is you win the toss and bowl first on the day because you can have a wonderful first innings and put the team under pressure," Pollock told The Hindustan Times.
"So, as I said, I don't think they are going as favourites, but they have shown some unbelievable character to qualify, and you never know. We love cricket because there are no scripts involved. You can't write a script three months proper. You'll have to see how things unfold in the day. They are in the final; they've got an opportunity and let's see how they go."
South Africa’s winning streak in Test cricket started when they defeated West Indies 1-0 in their own backyard. They then travelled to Bangladesh and whitewashed them 2-0. Sri Lanka and Pakistan also suffered the same fate but in South Africa’s backyard.
"They have done remarkably well. If you look at the batting line-up, you wouldn't have read into it 18 months ago, but the amount of hundreds that they have managed to score, I think, has been impressive. And also, the way they have adapted. We are missing some of our star bowlers. And they've still found other ways and people to step up and do the job,” added Pollock.
"There are a few people who say that they haven't played Australia, they didn't play England. We've played India, but it probably should have been a three-match series. But at the end of the day, from a South Africa perspective, we weren't at our best in terms of personnel, and we've found people. And you can only beat what's in front of you."
The WTC final will be played at Lord’s from June 11.
