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ICC CHAMPIONS TROPHY

June 1, 2017

Kane Williamson

Edgbaston, Birmingham

This has been reviewed by Raj

Q. I was wondering what you thought of the preparations so far? Obviously a lot of your players were over in the IPL. Then you come over here to play some warm-up matches. How happy are you so far with the preparation you've had for this tournament?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I suppose it's just the nature of international cricket and the various other competitions that attract players from around the world. It just sort of is what it is. We've had a number of guys involved in cricket which is the main thing. Coming here, couple of warm-up games. One very short boundary in our second warm-up game but the surface was pretty good and was a pretty good exercise all around.

So it's been good. But it only accounts for a little bit when we turn up tomorrow for our first game.

Q. You have a really tight series and won over Australia the last time you played them. Do you think New Zealand's mental attitude is getting better in those close games against such a great team like Australia?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, they're a very good side. We played each other a lot in recent times, and home and away. And so it will be nice, I guess, to play at a neutral venue, something slightly different.

But yeah, it's just about trying to be as smart as we can be in the conditions that you're presented with, and I think every team tries to do that as well as they can. We've seen that probably in the clashes that we've had in recent times in the series in very different conditions, I suppose, being in Australia and being in New Zealand. So it's important that both teams make those adjustments as quickly as possible coming here to Edgbaston.

Q. Since McCullum has retired you've basically gone from probably having the biggest weapon in the first 10 overs in world cricket to just having a normal, sort of, opening partnership. How are you trying to overcome that, because I had a look at the stats; you're about 10, 15 runs down in the PowerPlay compared to where you were when you had him before. So, what are the plans that you've got to get back up there?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Like you mentioned, he's probably the most destructive batter, especially in his last couple of years in the white-ball formats. Not many other teams in the world had Brendon McCullum either, which was fortunate for us.

But players move on. They retire, which is obviously what Brendon did from the international game, and your team takes a slightly different shape.

So I guess it's understanding that, trying to play the style that best suits the personnel that you have in the 11 at the time. And that's ever changing, so you're trying to adjust as quickly as you can when you do lose players.

We lost obviously Brendon and some other vital players that were involved in the World Cup squad as well.

So it's just the nature of the beast. And I guess you need to be flexible when those changes come about.

Martin Guptill is possibly our best white-ball cricketer and very destructive and playing very good cricket. Hopefully he can continue that.

And a number of the other guys that have been involved in those opening partnerships are moving forward quickly with their games as well.

So hopefully we can get off to a really good start tomorrow against Australia.

Q. You spoke about the good surface that you had for the warm-up. Have you had a look at the match pitch and what do you make of it, and have you decided on the 11?
KANE WILLIAMSON: No, because we haven't seen the wicket yet, to answer both of your questions. We literally just arrived. So we'll go and have a look shortly. Yeah, obviously only 15 in the squad. So we should be able to come with 11 fairly quickly.

Q. The Black Caps are rightly known as the nicest team in world cricket. With that in mind, what kind of birthday present are you going to give your Steve Smith tomorrow?
KANE WILLIAMSON: I didn't know it was his birthday. Hopefully not too many half-volleys. He doesn't need any. He's scoring plenty of runs. So should be a good game. Look forward to it.

Q. Any concern about Tom Latham, is he right to play tomorrow with his concern over his foot?
KANE WILLIAMSON: My understanding is that all players are available for selection.

Q. Are you and the Black Caps resting on your laurels after the Chappell-Hadlee series win?
KANE WILLIAMSON: No.

Q. I suppose Steve Smith wasn't playing for that series. With his return, does that make their side that much more formidable?
KANE WILLIAMSON: He's a world-class player, along with Davey Warner, who wasn't involved. But anytime you play Australia, whatever team they put out, they're very tough to beat.

And tomorrow I know we're usually involved in series, and you kind of get into the games and hopefully improve throughout. Tomorrow's a one-off fixture in tournament cricket, and it's important that we start strong.

Q. You touched on it earlier, the way that they've set up the Chappell-Hadlee series in the past couple of years means that you have played each other a lot. Are there any surprises that you can throw at each other? Do you know each other so well now, how well do you know each other?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I mean, I guess, yes, we have played each other a lot, and we are fairly familiar with each other. But teams are always trying to do slightly different, I guess, plans to get on top of the opposition.

So for us it's trying to attack it as best we can. You come into these one-off clashes, they are very different, perhaps just being involved in a series.

And you never know, there might be the odd curveball at times that people try just because there's that sort of, that mindset of coming into a game. And on any given day we know that all eight teams can beat each other.

So that's the scenario we're faced with. And it's important that we go out and be very positive tomorrow.

Q. Lockie Ferguson spent a heck of a long time over the last two months volleying to Steve Smith. Has he given you any tips or secrets that you might be looking to implement?
KANE WILLIAMSON: No, he hasn't. No. Not too many secrets. He's a very good player. And it's important that we bowl very well to him. We'll be trying to do that as best we can and limit those sorts of players.

Q. I know you haven't decided on the 11 yet, but Jeetan Patel, I wonder what he's brought -- he's in the second life back on the team now. Whatever he's brought here, he's played a lot in England, -- is that experience heading into in the round?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, it's great, brought a lot of energy into the group. He's very excited to be involved again, which he's been pretty regular in the side, I suppose, for the last year, maybe year and a little bit, in all different formats.

And he's loved every moment of it. And it's great to be here at his home grounds where he knows the conditions very well. So that is helpful having that experience.

Q. There's been a lot of talk about Australia's pace attack, although Steve Smith said that all four are unlikely to play together. But do you have any specific plans or thoughts about each of them, because each of them is a different kind of threat?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah. All very good bowlers. All slightly different. But all, like I say, world class in what they do. So they do have a good bowling attack. It's important that our batsmen come out, play positively.

I suppose the focus is a lot more about how you want to play your cricket rather than perhaps the opposition, too, especially in tournament fixtures like this where it is pretty much knock-out -- a knock-out form.

So we do want to go out and play positively and play with that freedom.

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