Shaun Pollock believes Australia will look to keep their three key fast bowlers in prime condition as they target retaining both the World Test Championship and the Ashes in the months ahead.

Former South Africa seam bowler Pollock joined Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast to look ahead to the World Test Championship final at Lord’s between Australia and the Proteas, starting on Wednesday.

Australia will look to retain the ICC Test mace they won in 2023 before switching their attention later this year to a Test series in the Caribbean and then a home Ashes.

While a formidable side in all departments under Pat Cummins, age does appear to be catching up with the bowlers with Mitchell Starc, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood all over the age of 32 and spinner Nathan Lyon now 37.

“You probably start to feel it at about from early 30s to about 35,” Pollock said. “Jimmy Anderson was a bit of an exception, but then he did focus on one kind of particular format.

“I think the fact they (Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood) play all formats has got to start catching up with them. The other thing is what we saw from Jimmy is, ‘what’s your backup plan?’ When is it time to maybe rip the cord on certain individuals to be able to replace them to give you exposure?

“I know Australia have got the likes of Scotty Boland, who I think is brilliant and if he misses out on this Test Championship final, he’ll really feel a little bit hard done by.

“But I just think they’re formidable. I think the real good thing about them is they’ve got that ability to adjust their attack to different lengths. Even if I look at some of your English guys that are coming through, they kind of strike me as just back-of-a-length bowlers.

“Whereas I think what makes them [Australia] so exceptional, particularly the three fast bowlers, is the ability to adjust their length. Someone like Mitchell Starc can go full and can shape it.”

Pollock, who once formed a formidable bowling partnership with Allan Donald, continued: “Cummins is one of those guys who can also get the ball a little bit fuller. Hazlewood learned the art of being a little bit fuller. Maybe at the start of his career, he was a little bit too short.

“But they have the ability to adjust the length and adjust what they have to do with the Dukes ball on a surface at Lord’s.”

Pollock said he expected Cummins, Starc and Hazlewood to lead Australia’s attack at Lord’s this week – the trio were subsequently confirmed in the team (see below) – but would not be surprised if newer faces line up for them on their three-Test tour to the West Indies from later this month.

“I think they have to be managed properly,” he said. “In the next few months before The Ashes, they need to be used wisely. Hazlewood, for example, is one of the guys who’s probably picked up more niggles over the last 18 months than the other two.

“Cummins missed out a little bit. Starc maybe has a bit of issue with his ankle. So it’s those kinds of injuries.

“Unless you’re in the squad and go into the physio’s room and get an understanding about what the niggles are consistently, it’s not the freak injuries that are going to keep them out, it’s the wear and tear of an ankle injury that just doesn’t go away.

“I get the feeling there’s a couple of those sorts of niggles that are lurking and they’ll be doing everything to make sure those three are nicely rested in order to make sure they can perform when England get down there in November.

“As you get older too, the focus kind of becomes more on your home Test matches.

“Those are the ones you kind of enjoy. That’s where the conditions are suited to what you do on a regular basis. And that’s maybe where we see Australia going in the next few months.”

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.

South Africa XI: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (c), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verrynne (wk), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi.

Smith focused on retaining mace

South Africa might be the underdogs going into the Lord’s final, but topped the WTC table after taking 69.44 per cent of their possible points from 12 Tests, with Australia the clear next best on 67.54 per cent from 19 matches.

Australia top-order batter Steve Smith has said he has not yet given any thought to this winter’s Ashes with the former Test skipper zoned in on the task at hand at Lord’s before Australia head to the Caribbean for three Tests and five T20s.

“Just excited to go out and play,” Smith said. “Another Test Championship final.

“We’ve got some fond memories of last time just down the road at The Oval and coming here to Lord’s, it’s a place we traditionally play pretty good cricket.

“I think spin will play a big part, particularly as the game wears on. It is dry, there hasn’t been too much rain, which can be rare for England, obviously.”

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