This Week in Cricket #179 - South Africa win the World Test Championship Final

In this episode of the show, Binksy, Baldy, Raj and Stu relive the rollercoaster ride that was the 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final, which saw South Africa crowned champions as they defeated Australia by 5 wickets at Lord's.

We start the show with our thoughts, feelings and emotions from a game that swung back and forth and up and down across the three and a bit days of cricket. We talk South Africa's reaction, the mood after the first couple of days and the pitch conditions for this showcase event.

As the discussion continues, we focus on the standout contributors, such as Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Temba Bavuma, Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc. We also look ahead to the next WTC cycle to ponder the big questions facing Australia and whether this title will propel South Africa to more and more success over the coming years.

We'll be back in your feed very soon with a full preview of the India v England Test series, and then regularly as that series progresses alongside Australia v West Indies and other news. Until then please take the time to give us a like, follow, share or subscribe on all our channels (@toporderpod on Twitter & Facebook, and @thetoporderpodcast on Instagram & YouTube) and a (5-Star!) review at your favourite podcast provider, or tell a friend to download. It really helps others find the show and is the best thing you can do to support us. You can also find all our written content, including our Hall of Fame series, at our website.

You can also dip back into our guest episodes - including conversations with Mike Hesson, Shane Bond and Mike Hussey, current players such as Matt Henry, Sophie Devine and Ish Sodhi, coaches Gary Stead, Jeetan Patel and Luke Wright, as well as Barry Richards, Frankie Mackay, Bharat Sundaresan and many more fascinating people from all across the cricketing world. And if you'd like to reach out to us with feedback, questions or guest suggestions, get in touch at thetoporderpodcast@gmail.com.

Thanks for listening.

0:00 Intro

1:30 South Africa are the World Test Champions

5:00 State of play after Day 2 - Australia with their noses in front

8:20 Lord's surface and conditions

17:30 Kagiso Rabada, Pat Cummins & Co. show their class

22:10 Australia's batting fragility

25:10 Aiden Markram's heroics and how South Africa build on this win

31:20 Big questions for Australia for the next WTC cycle

37:30 Final words on South Africa's future and Temba Bavuma

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