Aussies make a call on opening spot as XI revealed for WTC final

Marnus Labuschagne will open for Australia in the World Test Championship final.

Captain Pat Cummins confirmed the Queenslander would partner Usman Khawaja against South Africa at Lord's on Wednesday with the fit-again Cameron Green to return to the Test side at first drop.

Josh Hazlewood has been given the nod over Victorian Scott Boland with allrounder Beau Webster to provide the supporting overs after retaining his place at No.6.

It means there was no room in the XI for teenage batting sensation Sam Konstas despite training the house down in the lead up to the Test decider, while Josh Inglis is also unlucky to miss out after hitting a century on debut in Sri Lanka two games ago.

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

"Cam Green, the last few weeks, he's had coming back in great form, we thought he deserves a spot somewhere in the batting line-up," Cummins said on match eve.

"We thought three probably suits him best.

"And then with Marnus moving, we thought it's one spot up, it's not too different to batting at three. He's done well here in England in the past.

"All the boys have trained well, him, Sam and Josh Inglis have all trained really well but I thought selectors went with Marnus' experience and he's done well here at Lord's and England in general."

But arguably the biggest hard luck story is Boland who took 10 wickets in his last match to bowl Australia to victory in Sydney to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and secure a spot in the WTC final.

Boland has never played at Lord's where Hazlewood is the most successful Australian fast bowler since Glenn McGrath with 13 wickets in three matches.

Also working in the New South Welshman's favour was his superior average and strike rate to Boland in England, strengthening Hazlewood's case to play at Lord's despite only recently returning from a shoulder niggle in the Indian Premier League playoffs.

Labuschagne also has a decent record at the Home of Cricket with the second highest average in the Aussie squad at the venue behind Steve Smith and it's where he created history in becoming the first ever concussion substitute in Test cricket.

The right-hander averages 45.33 at Lord's but he's never opened at Test level, the position he now finds himself following a run of low scores to accommodate Green's return from back surgery.

Labuschagne however hit a century opening the batting in a county game for Glamorgan last season and opened for Queensland in his first two Sheffield Shield seasons.

Khawaja said he was confident his state teammate was well-equipped to make the step up.

"An opener can get out first ball and you're batting with number three anyway," the left-hander said at Lord's on Monday.

"He's done it a lot; he's opened before and started off playing for Queensland opening.

"He's much like myself; you bat three, I think opening is an easier transition."

Green made an irresistible case to make an immediate return to the Test team with three centuries for county side Gloucestershire ahead of the WTC final.

The West Australian is as a specialist batter only for the clash with the Proteas and subsequent tour of the Caribbean as he continues his rehabilitation from back surgery, but is aiming to be back bowling by this summer's home Ashes.

He is one of three inclusions from Australia's most recent Test in Sri Lanka, with skipper Cummins (ankle) and Hazlewood (calf) also recovering from their respective injuries that kept them out of the tour.

Inglis, Cooper Connolly and spinner Matt Kuhnemann are the three to make way, but the latter could be back in the frame for Australia's next Test with Caribbean pitches more conductive to spin than Lord's.

World Test Championship Final

June 11-15: South Africa v Australia, Lord's

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Australia squad: Pat Cummins (c), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Matt Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster. Travelling reserve: Brendan Doggett

South Africa squad: Temba Bavuma (c), David Bedingham, Corbin Bosch, Tony de Zorzi, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Wiaan Mulder, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Dane Paterson, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne