For all the skepticism about the World Test Championship as it exists now, no one is giving up on the concept. The ICC may be content to cut its cloth according to the sums that are available to it but, in a sport that has come to define itself by its white-ball riches, this flawed tournament remains an essential part of the fabric. And on Wednesday, that fabric will gather at the home of cricket as Lord’s hosts the third edition of this ill-defined final, this time with Australia and South Africa pitted against each other.
The Proteas ripped the mace from Australia’s callused grip in four days at Lord’s and wore the tag of champions in a dramatic finale. The fact that India – which contributes hugely to international cricket’s revenue and viewership – did not qualify for this year’s final has caused concern at the MCC that ticket sales will suffer as a result. Nevertheless, there is a sense that the five-day final is still something special and will attract a large crowd if there are competitive contests between Australia and South Africa. The 126 million people who tuned into last year’s final in India is proof of that.