Lord’s lands World Test Final cricket

Article posted by Coliseum, September 5^th, 2024

Image: Lord's Cricket Ground on Facebook

The World Test Championship Final will be staged at the home of cricket, Lord’s, for the first time in the summer of 2025.

The MCC said It will be the first of two international Test matches at Lord’s next year and will be a showcase event to kick off the international summer.

The 31,100-capacity Lord’s Cricket Ground, commonly known as Lord’s, is a cricket venue in St John’s Wood, London (UK). Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the European Cricket Council (ECC).

The World Test Championship Final is the ultimate Test between the two top sides in the last two years of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle.

The sides will contest the Final, scheduled as a five-day match, starting on Wednesday 11 June.

India and Australia are currently topping the table but the two teams making it to the final will not be decided until 28 January 2025.

Among the teams in the running, India will be looking to go one better than the runner-up position they have achieved in the two previous finals, with New Zealand and Australia the two teams to have won the tournament so far.

The ICC World Test Championship Final is the pinnacle event in the Test calendar and is a week-long celebration of the longer format of the game.

It’s a culmination of two years of intense competition, spanning 69 matches over 27 series played to decide the finalists.

Guy Lavender, Chief Executive & Secretary of MCC, said, “We’re delighted to be working with the ICC to bring the World Test Championship Final to Lord’s for the first time.

“It is our great privilege to be asked to host a final of any kind but to welcome the two best men’s sides in Test cricket – our most cherished format – is a singular honour. It will be an experience not to be missed, adding to the storied 140-year history of Lord’s Tests.”

Geoff Allardice, Chief Executive of ICC added, “The ICC World Test Championship Final has quickly become one of the most anticipated events in the cricketing calendar and we are pleased to announce the dates for the 2025 edition.

“It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Test cricket, which continues to captivate fans around the world. Tickets will be in high demand so I would encourage fans to register their interest now to ensure they are in with a chance of attending the Ultimate Test next year.”

ICC World Test Championship Final 2023 winning captain, Pat Cummins said, “Winning the World Test Championship was, and still is, a big goal for this team. It is the culmination of hard work and consistency over the two-year cycle for all teams.

“So hopefully we will be there again, there’s a lot of cricket still to be played between now and then, and the fans can get a chance to watch us defend the title.”

This news comes after ECB and MCC announced a packed calendar of England fixtures for the 2025 season and the historic news that Lord’s will host its first ever women’s Test match, between England and India, in 2026.

A month after the final, Lord’s will welcome England’s men’s and women’s sides for their home internationals – a men’s Test against India (10-14 July), a women’s One-Day International also against India (19 July), and concluding with a day/night ODI between England and South Africa’s men’s sides (4 September).

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