Australia batting great Steve Smith is expecting a tough examination from South Africa’s impressive pace attack in this week’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.
Reigning champions Australia, who beat India in the WTC final in 2023, are favourites against the Proteas in the five-day match, which starts on Wednesday.
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“South Africa have a particularly good bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, his record speaks for itself. Marco Jansen — they are a good side, they are here for a reason,” Smith said on Monday.
Rabada, 30, has taken 327 wickets at an average of 22 while Jansen, 25, has 73 wickets at 21.76 in his 17 matches.
But former Australia Test captain Smith has a superb Test record at London’s Lord’s ground, with 525 runs in five matches, including two hundreds, at an average of 58.33.
“It’s a nice place to bat,” said the 36-year-old. “Personally I’ve had a bit of success here. “It takes a bit of time getting used to the slope, one end thinking you are falling over, the other you feel a bit tall.
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“It’s a nice wicket to bat on but can change with the overheads, the ball swinging around, can get a bit tricky.”
Smith’s career was almost derailed by his involvement in a 2018 ball-tampering scandal against South Africa in Cape Town.
But he said relations between the two teams were now “pretty relaxed”.
There have been suggestions the WTC final should be played over several games rather than being just a one-off match.
“Maybe a three-match series would be good but good luck fitting it in the schedule, it’s pretty jam-packed as it is,” said Smith.
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