AllCricket  

12 在

Australia has secured their place in the World Test Championship Final for the second consecutive time, set to face South Africa at Lord's from June 11-15. Pat Cummins' team clinched the trophy by defeating India at The Oval in 2023, and their recent 3-1 series victory over India solidified their position among the top two teams for the 2025 decider. The thrilling six-wicket win in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy finale at the SCG marked the culmination of a dominant two-year stretch for Australia, which began with a retained Ashes series in England that ended in a 2-2 draw.

The World Test Championship features the top nine Test teams, each playing six series per cycle—three at home and three away. Teams earn 12 points for a win, six for a tie, four for a draw, and none for a loss. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Australia won the series 3-1, with the First Test at Perth Stadium going to India by 295 runs, while Australia claimed victories in the Second Test at Adelaide Oval by 10 wickets, the Fourth Test at the MCG by 184 runs, and the Fifth Test at the SCG by six wickets. Australia still has two Tests remaining in the current WTC cycle against Sri Lanka in Galle, but they cannot surpass South Africa's 69.44 percentage points at the top of the standings.

In the Women's Ashes, Australia leads the multi-format series 4-0. In the Second ODI, Australia defended a modest total of 180, winning by 21 runs against England. Alana King delivered a standout performance, taking four wickets and reaching her 50th ODI wicket in just 34 innings, making her one of the fastest Australian women to achieve this milestone. Despite being bowled out for their lowest ODI total on home soil since 2009, Australia's aggressive bowling and solid fielding ensured their victory. The series continues with a Third ODI on January 17 at Bellerive Oval, Hobart, followed by three T20Is and a day-night Test at the MCG from January 30 to February 2.

In a separate match, Queensland batter Lachlan Hearne made headlines by scoring a remarkable century off just 62 balls, rescuing a Cricket Australia XI during their four-day clash with England Lions in Brisbane. The match at Ian Healy Oval saw a total of 19 wickets fall and 399 runs scored in 86.4 overs, with the England Lions bowled out for 223. Hearne's explosive innings included 15 fours and three sixes, showcasing his talent after the CA XI faced early trouble at 4-18.

#WTCFinal,#AustraliaCricket,#BorderGavaskar,#WomensAshes,#LachlanHearne