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ICC WOMEN'S WORLD T20

November 5, 2018

Meg Lanning

Georgetown, Guyana

Q. How is the overall mood of the team?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, really good. We had the last few days in Antigua. Unfortunately didn't get on, but yeah, a little bit of time to just relax a little bit, but we're well and feeling good right now and ready to go for training today.

Q. How much are you looking forward to actually getting out here at Providence Stadium and having a look at the global conditions?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, it's nice to have a training session here and a practice game, as well, just to get used to it. It's pretty hot here, so yeah, I guess it's good to just familiarize ourselves with what we're coming up against, and knowing that you're playing your own games here, as well, I think that's a really good thing.

Q. I think we're seeing here scores tend to be lower, batting can be a little bit harder. Is that going to be a difficult adjustment given you're coming off some pretty good wickets at home and I think in Malaysia?
MEG LANNING: Look, there's no doubt we're going to have to adjust. The good thing is, though, that we've got one practice game and three training sessions to get used to that, and everyone is in the same boat. You've got to be able to adapt pretty quickly and make sure that we're playing accordingly. But I think over the last year or so we've done that really well, so we feel like if the conditions are very different we'll be able to adjust.

Q. And how impressed have you been with the new girls in the squad over the -- you've been on tour for about six weeks now.
MEG LANNING: Yeah, really good. They've all settled in nicely. Georgia bowled really well I thought over in Malaysia against Pakistan, and Taylor got one going there in the ODI series and she'll be better for the run. I think the fact that they've been able to settle in so nicely and really fit into the group is a great sign for us, and we're looking forward to seeing what they can produce throughout the tournament.

Q. How much of a boost is it for the team having someone like Jess Jonassen come back into the squad?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, massive. She's a world-class bowler who's performed over a long period of time, so to have her come in at the back end of Malaysia was a good boost for the group, and she's done a lot of hard work to get here. Yeah, it's great to have her, and gives us plenty of options for the bowl, which is great.

Q. And for you personally, no issues with the back now that you've arrived here?
MEG LANNING: All good. I'm good to go, so training fully today, so I'll have no issues. So yeah.

Q. How important is it coming into World Cup that we've seen so many different members of the squad make contributions throughout this practice round series?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, I think it's massive, and especially in T20 cricket. It can be a little bit hit-or-miss at times, so you do need different people stepping up at different times, and we've seen that throughout the past two series for us that everybody has been able to play their role when needed. We feel like we're going to need that throughout the tournament. We're going to need everyone at some point, so I feel like the group is in a really good spot to be able to recognise that and deliver when it counts.

Q. And there are a few pretty good players in the South African lineup; how good a test is that warmup going to be?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, it's perfect for us, coming up against a really good team with some real proven match winners. We know a few of their players from WBBL, but there's a few newbies, as well, as with us. So yeah, a good chance to test ourselves in the conditions we'll be playing in, so I think it's a perfect prep.

Q. How good has Alyssa Healy's form been?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, excellent. She's been in form for quite a while now, and she makes it look very easy when she gets going. Yeah, hopefully she can just continue on with that. She makes a massive difference to our team when she's up and going. It's great to see her batting so well and enjoying her cricket, so yeah, I'm excited to see what she can do in a big tournament like this.

Q. It's been a really good year for Australia in T20 cricket. How impressed have you been with the way your players have embraced the fearless approach you're now taking into cricket?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, look, I think it's still sort of a work in progress, I guess, but we do feel like we've taken some really big steps forward, and I guess we were forced into doing that. We needed to change a few things and try and stay ahead of the game a little bit more. You've got to get that balance right in terms of playing aggressive cricket, especially in conditions you're unfamiliar with, so yeah, I think the group has really embraced it. People have been in different roles at different times, some they're not really used to, but everyone is playing really good team cricket at the moment and just wants to do what's best for the team at the time. Yeah, we feel like we're in a pretty good spot with that and looking forward to testing ourselves at the World T20.

Q. You're in a group with New Zealand and India, only two spots in the semifinals. How important is it to win all those little moments?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, it's massive, and T20 cricket can change -- be within one bowl. It's a pretty tough group, as is the other one. You can't afford to let your guard down for even sort of 15, 20 minutes or you could find yourself dropping a game that you can't afford to do. I think that's the exciting thing about World Cup formats and tournament play is that you need to be on all the time and really focused and we're very aware of that and looking forward to that challenge.

Q. You've had a bit of time in Antigua. What have you made of the local reception to the tournament and the levels of excitement?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, it's been great. The locals are all looking forward to the tournament as we are, and we've been looked after really well so far since we've been here. Yeah, Antigua was great. There's a lot of excitement there, especially with the finals being there. That's obviously been built up. But since we've arrived here, as well, the atmosphere is the same. So hopefully there's some big crowds that turn up to the game. There's going to be some high-quality cricket, so yeah, if you are around, definitely come down and have a watch.

Q. Since the last World T20 two years ago, the Big Bash has obviously grown a lot, and England introduced their own super league. Do you think that's big impact on the level of T20 cricket being played internationally, as well?
MEG LANNING: Yeah, I do. I think having really high-quality international players playing in the same competition makes it -- it's high quality and improves the standard, as well, and I think the fact that a lot of the teams here at the World Cup have been playing more cricket, as well, with the international women's championship, I think the more other countries play, the better everyone gets.

There's no doubt in my mind that this is going to be the most highly skilled and competitive ICC Women's World Cup T20 that we've seen, and it's going to be great to watch, so looking forward to being a part of it.

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