WTC Final: Nathan Lyon sounds caution ahead of South Africa clash; calls Proteas top order ‘class players’

Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon believes facing South Africa in the World Test Championship final at Lord's on June 11 will present unique challenges despite Australia's experience in winning ICC trophies, citing foreign conditions and Duke balls as key factors.

Australia enters the match as defending champions with players who have won multiple ICC tournaments including the 2015 and 2023 ODI World Cups and 2021 T20 World Cup.The Australian team's experience in high-pressure situations gives them an advantage, but Lyon acknowledges this may not matter on match day.

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"Having the experience of the guys who have won three (50-over) World Cups and T20 World Cups and obviously the World Test Championship final a couple of years ago, that experience and that pressure in those higher games, it's going to be, it's on our side, isn't it, but it doesn't mean anything when you come to the game," Lyon said.The English conditions differ significantly from Australian pitches, offering swing to bowlers rather than bounce, while the Duke balls behave differently from the Kookaburra balls used in Australia.

"It's going to be different challenge and with foreign conditions and the Dukes ball. It's going to be two best bowling attacks going at each other which is another exciting thing so it's going to be a good challenge for all batters," Lyon explained.

Lyon has been closely monitoring South African players' performances, particularly in their recent tour against Zimbabwe."I'm a cricket nuffie, so I've watched a fair amount of cricket and even tuned into their game at the moment against Zimbabwe," Lyon said. "They've got some class players as I said with the likes of Aiden Markram, Rickelton at the top of the order there, they're class players, there's no point in hiding behind that fact either."Quiz: Who's that IPL player?The spinner specifically mentioned his experience facing David Bedingham in County cricket."I played against Bedingham last year here in County cricket and he's a special player, so at the end of the day it's going to be guys who do the basics…and enjoy the pressure moments," he stated.Lyon confirmed his recovery from a hip injury sustained during the home Test series against India."I had a little break after Sri Lanka to try and get my hip right and now that's all good to go," Lyon said.

"I honestly haven't stopped training since the end of Sri Lanka and bowling wise I've been probably going for a good five to six weeks now."He expressed satisfaction with his current form and preparation."My numbers and where I'm at workload and all that stuff is where we want it and skill wise and how the ball is coming out of my hand is exactly the way I want at the moment," Lyon concluded.