The Australian cricket team returns to the home of cricket, Lord’s, for the World Test Championship final against South Africa next week.
The last time they played there was in 2023 against England and the shocking scenes in the Long Room involving some of the Marylebone Cricket Club members after Jonny Bairstow’s controversial stumping dismissal are something I hope we never see again.
Now the question is, will this effect the Australian players? It’s possible.
It’s hard not to reflect on events like that as a player in that situation. It’s a scene they have to walk through again, and that was not a good memory.
Players are usually adept at handling the pressures of the game, especially this Australian team, which has seen and experienced it all. However, I’m sure it will linger in the minds of some players.
They’ll be prepared for anything, given what the English crowds are known to exhibit.
They can be quite vocal — as I learnt during my career — and I expect there will be plenty of noise and attempted distractions from fans, even though England isn’t even in the Test final. The neutral home fans will surely be backing South Africa.
I’ve often said that cricket is a mental game. The skills of players are quite similar at this level and while there are standout cricketers, it ultimately comes down to who has the strongest mental resolve.
This is particularly true in Test cricket, especially over five days and in a final, where the crowd will likely be against you.
Being mentally prepared for what’s coming — both on and off the field — is crucial. AB de Villiers exemplified this during my playing days.
He would step onto the field without giving an inch, maintaining the same body language every time he batted — whether they were ahead or behind in the game. It was often hard to tell if he was nervous.
Entering a Test final is challenging enough. You know that it’s a must-win, one-off match and on top of that, you know the UK fans will have plenty to say.
I genuinely hope the Lord’s members can conduct themselves well and return to respecting the game and the players who pass through the Long Room, where so much history has unfolded over the years.
I recently picked my top six batsmen for the final in this column, starting with Sam Konstas as the opener alongside Khawaja.
I’ve got Cam Green at three, Steve Smith four, Travis Head five and Beau Webster at six, which means Marnus Labuschagne misses out.
I did consider bringing Josh Inglis in as an opener instead of Konstas, but I prefer him in the middle order.
So, I’m sticking with Konstas at the top for this important match in the hope he can take the South African bowling attack away from their game plan.
Alex Carey stays at seven, which brings us to the bowlers.
You’d think the bowling lineup almost picks itself, given how well they’ve performed. I doubt there will be any bold changes, but my only concern is Josh Hazlewood and his fitness.
His Twenty20 performances have been stellar and he boasts an impressive Test record, but his injury history over the past few years does give me pause.
For a one-off Test like this, I believe he can definitely get through it, but if it were a series, I might feel differently and consider Scott Boland more seriously.
And the other factor to consider is, has he bowled enough in the IPL to get himself ready for Test cricket?
Bowlers would often bowl more overs in the nets to get their bowling loads up if they were coming into a Test or one-day series after the IPL.
Bowlers generally know what they need to get right, especially someone like Hazlewood, but it will be interesting to see how he pulls up from this final.
The Australians look to be the favourites, but it’s great to see South Africa coming in with confidence after some tough times in Test cricket.
They’re making all the right noises in the media, but Australia’s experience will make them a formidable opponent. Ultimately, it’s about showing up for all five days.
