Winning Test mace for a second time would be a huge reward: Mitchell Starc

Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has reflected on the team's journey and what it means for him and the team to have another shot at the Test Mace at Lord’s, where they will face Temba Bavuma-led South Africa in the final showdown. 

Starc reckoned that the WTC final is the perfect opportunity for his team to secure consecutive titles, having defeated India in the summit clash of 2021-23 cycle after missing qualification in the inaugural cycle.

"It’s a chance to go back-to-back. The World Test Championship might still be a relatively new format, but for us, it’s been a significant journey. We missed out on the final in the first cycle, and were fortunate to win it the second time around,” Starc told Star Sports.

The pacer further highlighted the depth of the current squad, mentioning that the team’s core is intact ever since the fateful triumph over India at the Oval.

“Now, with a core group of players from the 2023 final still together, to have this opportunity again — and at Lord’s — is really special. Winning the Mace for a second time would be a huge reward for everything this group has worked towards over the years," he added.

Starc also broke down Australia’s preparation for South Africa’s mix of experienced and lesser-known batters — with a key focus on their own game plan:

"Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma have played a fair bit of Test cricket. We didn’t see Aiden in the last series in Australia, so we’ve spoken a little about him — he’s obviously been an important part of South Africa’s batting line-up.

"There are also some lesser-experienced players who’ve still had some Test exposure, but a few of them we haven’t faced yet in this format. So over the next few days, we’ll discuss them — what we can pick up, what we observe, and how they approach the game. But for now, our preparation is focused on what we want to do," he added.

Australian cricketer Steve Smith shared his thoughts on being part of another ICC WTC Final.

"It's great to be in another WTC final. That’s the goal for the group at the start of every cycle—to make the World Test Championship Final and defend our crown. We’re looking forward to playing here at Lord’s this week. It’s going to be a good one. We really enjoy playing here, and South Africa is a really good side. I think it’s going to be a great match," Smith said.

"As we get closer to the game, the conversations will get a little deeper, and we’ll have a few plans in place. But for us, a lot of the time it's about focusing on what we do and what we do well. If we do that this week, hopefully, we can have another successful outing," he added.