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ICC WOMEN'S WORLD T20

November 8, 2018

Amy Satterthwaite

Georgetown, Guyana

Q. Hi, Amy. You have a tough match opening the tournament. Is this the one you're looking to win to make it to the next round, and do you think it's an advantage or a disadvantage to be the first of three matches?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: Look, I think every game for us is going to be important. I think it's easy to look at that game and probably highlight it as a really important game, but equally we know that, if we're going to be successful in this tournament, we have to win the majority of our games.

So I think it is an important match, and we're really looking forward to that. I don't think it's a disadvantage to have it first off. I think it's a good place to be that you've got to hit the ground running.

Q. So are you relieved to having the first crack at that pitch on the triple header?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: Yeah, we know throughout the tournament you're going to have to adjust to the wickets as they probably change throughout the tournament. So, yeah, it's nice to get the first opportunity on it tomorrow and I guess get to assess the conditions. Like I said, throughout the tournament, I'm sure it will change, and we'll have to adjust as well.

Q. It's been a bit of a tough time for New Zealand cricket and also a big transition as well. How -- I guess, where do you say you are? A lot of people are feeling that New Zealand perhaps have stood still a bit where other teams have caught up and maybe even passed where you are.
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think it's the beauty of where the women's game is at because it's probably highlighting where every country is at, the progress they're making, and I think it's something we've got to keep reflecting on as to how we're going and where we're proceeding.

To be honest, in the past, we've probably punched above our weight a little bit at times, but equally with being relatively consistent in doing that. I think the progress that some of the countries like England and Australia are making has been phenomenal, and it's making us really reassess where we're at and push forward. But I don't think we're too far off the mark.

Q. And just also as well, now with the captaincy, what have you learned so far, and what kind of captain do you think you are at the moment?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think in a way, to some extent, similar to Suzie, in a sort of laid back approach, but I really enjoy the technical side of the game, and I think trying to bring that into our approach and really assessing the games that we've got coming up, the opposition that we're playing, and how we're looking at that.

I mean, lastly, probably just a real confidence and trying to instill that into our players is something that I think is really important for me as a leader. Ultimately in cricket, it can be really up and down, so the more confidence I can instill in the girls, hopefully, we're in a good place.

Q. You talk about the progress. Why do you think Australia and England are leading the way there?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think several things. Obviously, the competitions that have come with the Women's Big Bash and the Kia Super League, I think have grown some real depth in those countries, and equally outside of it have allowed players from around the world to go and play in that, experience it, see the progress that's being made, and I guess the development of the way that their players are playing with both bat and ball as well, and take that back to their countries and then build on that in their own countries.

Those leagues have helped not only develop probably -- in those countries, those players, but also forced other countries, I think, to really look at the way that they're playing and develop their own players.

Q. Amy, when it comes to those leagues, everyone talks about the next frontier being the IPL, but do you think New Zealand might jump in with a league of their own? Is that the feeling amongst the players? Why don't we have one? Why aren't people talking about New Zealand as the next league?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think it's something, like I said, we've got to keep reviewing. I know New Zealand cricket has done a massive review in the last couple of years and the structures that we've got, and I think it's an ongoing process. I'm sure that with the Women's Big Bash League and the Kia Super League, it was a really well thought out process, and it's probably been in the pipeline for a long time.

So, we don't want to rush into something like that. We've got to make sure, if we do it, we do it right. And I think probably in the immediate future it's not on the cards, but it's certainly not something that's off the cards in the long term.

Q. What are the learnings you're taking away from the warmup games?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think we've got some real positives in the air, and I think we've got some things we know we need to tidy up. We obviously got exposed a little bit in our first six overs by the West Indies. I thought they played some really explosive cricket and sort of tested our bowlers, so it's something we really want to try and tidy up looking forward. But at the same time, we bowled really well at times against Sri Lanka.

So we know that it's probably been here, but it's that consistency with both bat and ball that we're really looking to tidy up going into the tournament.

Q. I'm sorry. The recent FICA report that came out, how much resonance has that had with players, I guess especially looking at those -- Australia being considered the only professional country in the world to semi, and New Zealand in that pool that's considered maybe barely more than amateur. Did you agree with those findings? Do you have a sense in New Zealand cricket that they're taking that seriously and looking to make changes?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: Yeah, I do. I think it had a pretty fair reflection on where things are at in the women's game. It's awesome to have a report like that out in the open and I guess express where the women's game is at. Like I said earlier, it almost forces countries, whoever they are, to really look at their game and assess how they're going about their structures and ask themselves if they've got it right. I don't know if we've got it right, but we can keep reflecting on that and building on it.

I do think New Zealand cricket are taking it very seriously. I know at the board they're talking about it a lot, and that's something that's at the forefront of our minds.

We've got a World Cup in New Zealand in a couple of years, and I think that's something that for us is really important to be able to showcase when that World Cup is on, and we know that you've got to start looking at that now to ensure that we're getting our structures and different things right.

Q. And do you feel, if you have a good showing in this tournament, that that helps your case in New Zealand?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: To a certain extent, yes. To a certain extent, no. I think, obviously, the better you perform in any tournament, it certainly helps your case with situations like that, but at the same time, like I said, regardless of how we go here, we've got to wake up in our home country in a couple of years. I think that's something for us that's really important. You get an opportunity to showcase to the world on your home ground, home country, how you can play cricket.

So for us, it's really exciting, and I think something that, like I said, we're taking truly seriously, and we want to make sure we can do the best job we can.

Q. Mary, are you closer to knowing what your best 11 for tomorrow looks like?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think we're not far off. Obviously, the warmup games have been a good opportunity to see a few things and ask sort of last-minute questions coming into the first game. We haven't been here for ages. We've had to probably get close to that relatively soon so that we can just fine tune it, I guess. But I think we're not far off.

Q. And considering that India almost seemed to have been favoring a full spinner attack in the last few games, any concerns considering New Zealand hasn't traditionally done well against heavy spinning surfaces and good spinners?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: Yeah, I think we know what India is going to throw at us. Like I said, they've been having quite a lot of spin in their attack as late. It's something that we talked about and looking to address. But I think equally last night it didn't look like the wicket took heaps of tune. Obviously, playing tomorrow in the morning is going to be different conditions again.

So I think the Indians spin the ball extremely well. What they showed there against England yesterday, the ball in really good areas and asking a lot of the batter. So we know that we're going to have to be on our game to counteract that.

Q. We see so many teams preparing for spin in different ways, plastic bottles, mud on the pitch. Have you been doing anything of that sort?
AMY SATTERTHWAITE: I think we've got our own ways of training. We've had a marquee at home that's been up that's probably produced conditions that aren't necessarily that reflective of New Zealand. So it's been nice to play in different conditions and be able to test ourselves on ones that are a bit slow and low and taking a bit of tune. So I think that's probably been something that's been quite beneficial for us.

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