Just two days out from the World Test Championship Final, Lord’s is buzzing with excitement, writes James King from London.

Monday 9th June 2025. T minus 2 days and counting. 

Lord’s is buzzing. The countdown clock is ticking faster than Father Time can turn in the stiffest of breezes. The Ultimate Test is only two days away. 

There are people everywhere. I wait in a queue to get in at the North Gate, as there is a group of schoolchildren filing through. I overhear that they are here for training as part of the opening ceremony. 

Elsewhere one of the ICC’s sponsors, DP World, are preparing for a function. They are giving kits away. Some of the children are likely to be recipients of their generosity. I am impressed by the shipping container that they have re-purposed into a changeroom, while the exterior has been made into a scoreboard. 

Shop staff are busy with the last preparations for the expected sell-out crowd on day 1. As I walk around the ground, the Marshalls’ uniforms are ready on rails, being checked. My walk is diverted by the team installing the spider cam, their hoist diligently barricaded to ensure the safety of those who pass. 

I decide it’s time to take a walk outside, and as I move from the North Gate to the Grace Gate, I bump into Lesego Pooe and Mpho Mutloane. It’s been a long time since we last saw one another. We joke about how it took us all to come to London to meet once again. They have tickets for 4 days, and tell me that they had to come for the final. I sense that this is how many South African cricket lovers feel. 

Shukri Conrad picks up on this during his press conference. Responding to Neil Manthorp, he told those present: “We’ll probably be enjoying the majority of the support. I think all the English will be supporting us as well.” 

The sense of the occasion is not lost on the Proteas Coach. He deals with the enormity of what lies ahead, of being at Lord’s, competing to earn the title of the World’s Best. “It’s difficult not to get the place out of your system. We’ve almost taken the view, let’s embrace it, whatever comes with it. It’s going to be humming in two days’ time.  (We’ve said) just to really embrace the occasion, because it is a huge occasion.”

If South Africans are worried that the inexperienced batting line-up may be challenged, Conrad believes that it presents an opportunity. As the cricketing world prepares for this evening’s ICC Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Shuks frames the pursuit of greatness in his normal style: “Hopefully in years to come, we’ll see a few more names on those honours boards around the world. (When) those batting averages start nudging toward the 40 and 40 and above, where, yeah, then you know you’re onto something really good.”

For now, the unity and fighting spirit of this group of players will be key in this contest. The SA coach regards the achievement of being the best Test team as the pinnacle of the sport. To get there, and become household names, even ICC Hall of Fame inductees, this group of Proteas must work to their strengths. “we can maybe not compare with the Hashims and the ABs and the Jacques’, but I think our strength at the minute is that as a collective, guys really go out there and fight for every run, every little contribution we understand is important.” 

All those making contributions to make this WTC final a success are working towards Wednesday 11th at 10.30 am. Not least of these are the young people who excitedly made their way into Lord’s this morning. They too will have their place in the sun on Wednesday. They represent the future, as much as the teams here are the present. Those we honour this evening leave a legacy to which the present and future aspire. 

You have to feel that Cricket and all those that love the game, are the winners here, even before a ball is bowled. 

Only 2 more sleeps…