Jansen plots Australian assault with legend in Proteas' corner

Key South African quick Marco Jansen believes Lord's conditions and the knowledge imparted by Stuart Broad could make him a point of difference in the 2025 World Test Championship Final.

Taking nine wickets at an average of just 13.11 on his first Test tour of the UK back in 2022, Jansen was a thorn in England's side when the Proteas visited Lord's, claiming four scalps in the space of just 11.4 overs as the tourists stormed to an innings victory.

Towering at over two metres tall, the left-armer found prodigous swing with the Dukes ball on the tour, and stands as one of Australia's biggest threats in their World Test Championship defence when the teams meet from June 11.

Looking back on the match, where he also made runs down the order, Jansen carries a confidence for the upcoming Final knowing there is scope for improvement.

"I remember from a bowling point of view, the ball was swinging a lot more than I was expecting.

"Getting used to the Dukes ball, when it starts to swing, and just getting used to all the different angles or whatever goes with that (is important).

"And then batting, I batted well. There's a few good things (South Africa took from the 2022 match). And then there's a lot of other things there where I think we and me in particular can do a lot better."

The Proteas have an extra weapon of sorts for the Final, bringing in England fast bowling legend Stuart Broad as a consultant for the Final.

Not only did the quick take 153 of his 604 Test wickets against Australia (the most by any player in red-ball history), Broad also boasts 113 wickets in the format at Lord's.

Jansen is eager to soak up Broad's knowledge in a bid to help the Proteas lift the mace.

"Obviously he's played a lot against Australia at Lord’s. (I want to) maybe pick his brain on what they did back then or what they did when he was playing to get certain batters out.

"You might get a guy out with a ball that you never even planned on bowling. So it's good to have the information.

"Once you're on the pitch on that day though, you have to figure it out for yourself. And then whatever plan you have or plan you think could work, (you) just try and do that and hope it pays off and you hope you execute well."

Jansen was also a strong performer when the Proteas last faced their Final combatants in the 2022/2023 Australian summer, though the tourists failed to land a punch in a 2-0 series defeat.

The quick acknowledged his side weren't at their best against world-class opponents, though the variables around a neutral venue with a World Test Championship mace on the line mean the Final is destined to take a different.

"They have good bowlers, good batters. So we know it's going to be tough.

"The conditions are completely different. The way you're going to approach it will probably be different. And the thing that would probably stay the same is the analysis work and trying to see how you can get them (Australia's batters) out.

"That'll probably stay the same. But going about it and playing in these conditions will be a lot different, in my opinion.

"For me, it's just on the day, what can you do to get one particular batter out? And if you're batting, what can you do to not go out? And, yeah, I think they're probably going to think the same way as well."