Proteas to receive R1.3m for lowly World Test Championship finish | Sport

Proteas head coach Mark Boucher (AFP)

•  The Proteas will pocket $100 000 (around R1.37 million) for their finish in the ICC World Test Championship.
• The second Test in St Lucia between South Africa and West Indies will determine which two teams finish sixth.
• The ICC World Test Championship final is scheduled on Friday between New Zealand and India at Lord’s, with the winner receiving $1.6 million.

The Proteas will receive a nice cash injection despite a low finish in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship (WTC).

On Monday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that Friday’s Test final between India and New Zealand would take home a winner’s purse of $1.6 million along with the Test mace.

READ | ICC to stick with percentage of points won in next World Test cycle

Mark Boucher’s charges, who are on 204 points, are likely to finish sixth in the WTC standings if they win or draw the final Test against the West Indies.

If the Windies – who are on 200 points – win the second Test in St Lucia, they will move to sixth with the Proteas dropping to seventh.

The bottom four teams – South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – will each pocket $100 000 (around R1.37 million) for their participation in the nine-team competition, which was played over a near two-year cycle.

The Proteas, who have since slipped to seventh in the Test rankings, won four and lost eight Tests in five series to date.

South Africa lead the two-match Test series 1-0 against West Indies with the second Test scheduled on Friday (16:00 SA time).

Earlier on Friday, the much-anticipated final of the WTC is scheduled to get under way between India and New Zealand at Lord’s (13:30 SA time).

Virat Kohli’s India topped the WTC table, winning 12, losing four and one draw. Kane Williamson’s Black Caps side, who won seven and lost four Tests, earned a place in the decider after Australia withdrew from a Test tour to South Africa.

The Test Mace, previously given to teams topping the Test team rankings, will now be given to the WTC winners.

If the final ends in a draw or a tie, the finalists will split the prize money for the first and second places and share possession of the mace during the time they remain champions.

ICC World Test Championship standings and earnings:

Winner: (India/New Zealand) – $1.6 million

Runner-up: (India/New Zealand) – $800 000

3rd: Australia – $450 000

4th: England – $350 000

5th: Pakistan – $200 000

6th: South Africa/West Indies – $100 000

7th: South Africa/West Indies – $100 000

8th: Sri Lanka – $100 000

9th: Bangladesh – $100 000