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Key Points

South Africa is set to make history in their first-ever World Test Championship final against Australia at the iconic Lord's Cricket Ground. Former cricket star AB de Villiers has offered critical advice to the Proteas batsmen about maintaining respect for bowlers throughout the match. The team enters the final with impressive momentum, having secured seven consecutive victories in the WTC standings. The match promises to be a thrilling encounter, with a reserve day available to ensure a complete contest.

Key Points: AB de Villiers Advises SA Batters on Lord's Test Challenge

  • South Africa's first WTC final appearance at historic Lord's venue
  • De Villiers emphasizes constant bowling respect
  • Proteas topped WTC standings with 69.44 points
  • Historic match with reserve day on June 16
2 min read

Respect bowlers - be it the first over or the 67th over, advises de Villiers to SA batters

AB de Villiers shares crucial batting insights for South Africa's World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's

"You're never in, so just respect the game - AB de Villiers"

New Delhi, June 8

Ahead of facing Australia in the upcoming ICC World Test Championship final, former South Africa batter AB de Villiers has urged the Proteas batters to respect all bowlers, regardless of the over in any phase of the play at the iconic Lord’s.

South Africa will mark their first-ever appearance in a World Test Championship final when they face-off against Australia in the one-off clash from June 11-15. South Africa have played 18 Tests at Lord’s, but it doesn’t make for a great reading - six wins, eight defeats and four draws.

“Lord’s is a tricky ground to play at. You've got the ball moving around more than most grounds in the world for a longer period of time. You're never in, and that's probably my best advice to the batters, to sort of respect the bowlers, whether it's the first over or the 67th over. You're never in, so just respect the game.”

“Lord’s, you generally want to be a bit fuller as a seam bowler and try and get the best out of the conditions. There's always a bit of seam movement for the seam bowlers. So I would probably urge my bowlers to bowl full and straight for as long as possible,” said de Villiers on Star Sports.

The Temba Bavuma-led side finished at the top of the 2023-25 WTC standings with seven straight victories over West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, giving them a 69.44 points percentage.

The historic Lord’s will also become the third England venue to host the WTC finals after Rose Bowl in Southampton (2021) and The Oval in London (2023). There is also a reserve day in place – June 16 – and that can be used to make up for any lost playing time during the regular five days.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rahul K.
ABD always speaks with such wisdom! His advice applies to our Indian batsmen too - we sometimes throw away wickets after getting set. Lord's conditions demand extra patience. Hope SA vs Aus gives us a classic Test match 🤞
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Priya M.
As an Indian cricket fan, I'm jealous SA made it to WTC final before us! But de Villiers' analysis is spot on. Our batsmen should watch how they handle Lord's conditions - we'll be playing there in future series. That slope is tricky!
V
Vikram S.
Respecting bowlers is basic cricket sense but modern players often forget. Look at how Pujara plays - exactly what AB suggests. Hope our young batters are watching this interview. Test cricket is about patience!
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Ananya R.
Interesting analysis but I think SA's batting is their weak link. Their bowlers might do well at Lord's but can their batters survive long enough? Australia's attack will be ruthless. Still, hoping for a close contest! 🏏
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Sanjay D.
AB's advice is golden but easier said than done! The mental pressure in a WTC final is huge. Remember how our team crumbled in 2021? Hope both teams give us 5 days of proper Test cricket. No one-day style batting please!
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Neha P.
While I appreciate AB's insights, I wish he'd comment more on Indian cricket too! His IPL experience makes him understand our players so well. Anyway, good luck to both teams - may the better Test side win! 🇮🇳

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