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ICC WOMEN'S WORLD T20

November 17, 2018

Maddy Green

Georgetown, Guyana

New Zealand - 81/2, Ireland - 79/9

Q. Maddy, a win to sign off the tournament. But what are going to be the main takeaways for the team from this tournament?
MADDY GREEN: I think it's really pleasing to walk away with a good win here today. But obviously really disappointed that we're not progressing to Antigua to the semifinals.

For us, it's just about winning critical moments in each game. And I think both against India and Australia we got ourselves into positions to actually win the game. It's just been winning those critical moments, and I think that's what Australia and India did against us in those first two games.

It's just going back home knocked out for the finals. So as I said, disappointing, but we know we're a good side. And it's just refining -- as I said, being able to win those critical moments, I think we got ourselves into a really good position against Australia to win that game. And losing wickets in clumps doesn't help us.

So as I say, going back to our domestic cricket, we'll have a review after this tour, I'm sure, and sort of assessing what we need to do to be more competitive in those key moments in each game.

Q. What do these disappointing moments do for recovery?
MADDY GREEN: Look, we've got some very, very talented cricketers on our side. And I think Sophie showed that tonight. And Suzie has shown that throughout the whole tournament.

So for us it's how do we put it all together. It can't be just one player standing up every game. That we know we've got absolute match winners on our side, and the rest of the team need to get right in behind those key players and support them, and that will help us win key games for us.

Q. You had some variations in the opening combinations. Sophie and Suzie have been very successful, but over the last month or so you tried out new combinations. Then you seem to go back to Sophie and Suzie. Talk us through the decision-making process.
MADDY GREEN: I think probably in Australia in our series there Sophie and Suzie have been batting together. And we thought we could potentially lengthen our batting order a little bit.

And Anna Peterson has been batting really well at domestic cricket, opening the batting. She's an aggressive style player. I think that sort of choice was let's give her a crack, free licence, go out there, see if she can score quickly.

And unfortunately that didn't come off for her in those first few games. She was coming up against some really top-quality opposition. So I think going back to Sophie and Suzie, it's an opportunity for those two to bat as long as they can. I don't necessarily think it was the wrong decision to split those two up against Australia and India. Just didn't quite work out on the day.

Q. In terms of the vision that you probably might have had a year back coming into this T20, were Sophie and Suzie the pair that you would have wanted? And, then, why was it changed so close to the tournament, was it something that upset the rhythm of the team?
MADDY GREEN: I don't think so. Actually, when we played in England during the middle of the year, we sort of had Sophie and Suzie split up. I know that was One-Day cricket, but it was something we talked about. Obviously sort of two of our key batters, if we can keep them batting for a long time throughout the course of the game, that's going to help us win games.

Obviously, they're a formidable partnership. I think it's now nine 50 partnerships in a row -- not in a row, but over T20 cricket. So I think it's probably going to be one thing we go away from during this tournament and say what is this doing, putting us on the map, or have them batting together all the time.

Q. Do you think that momentum coming into the tournament was a key factor in New Zealand's performance?
MADDY GREEN: No, I don't think so. Look, we came up against two really great sides. And historically we played really well against Australia at World Cups. Just on the day, we just didn't perform. And as I said, we just didn't win those critical moments. But I think we just gotta go away and think about how we're going to keep beating these top teams and keep putting pressure on them. As I said, it's got to be a whole team performance, I think, stepping up as a unit to beat these top-quality sides.

Q. Looking forward, now the tournament is finished for New Zealand, what are some of the positives you could take back from the tournament and some of the players that you were pleased with their performances?
MADDY GREEN: Look, I think Suzie Bates has been outstanding in the game with the bat. And Sophie Devine again showed what she can do with the bat. She's very destructive. I think that's really positive for us.

I think Katey Martin, as well, in particular, she's really stepped up in that middle order. And she's played some really great cameos. And I think our spinners have bowled really well generally. We talked about in these conditions potentially with our lengths wrong earlier against India, but I thought we actually, in terms of bowling, pulled that back after that first game and bowled pretty well.

So, definitely going to be some positives we take away. But we need to go back home. And, as I said, figure out how we're going to keep beating these top teams.

Q. Can you talk about the sense of respect that is there in the women's circuit between teams?
MADDY GREEN: Yeah, I think especially not always being professional teams, we really respect all the effort and time that goes on and the sacrifice that goes on for all these women that are playing cricket around the world. Not just in our own country, but we played a recent series against the Irish and we see how hard they train and what they give to the sport.

So I think it's just right that we did that and I wish them all the best for the future.

Q. Your thoughts on the tournament as a whole, as well as, like, that it was hosted in Guyana?
MADDY GREEN: Yeah, I think it's been fantastic in Guyana. We've seen some quality wickets and some high-scoring games. But I know the semifinals will be really tight. I'm looking forward to watching what happens in that. But it's been fantastic. And it's been great to have, to be over here in Guyana and play here. Our girls haven't come here before. So it's been great to be over here.

Q. Looking at the tournament, who do you see as a favourite to win it?
MADDY GREEN: Oh, I would have said Australia. But I think India have really shown what a powerful team they are. They've got some absolutely fantastic players. So like I think it's going to be a really interesting next couple of -- next few games to see who comes out on top. But, yeah, I mean, it really could be anyone. It takes one performance from one or two key players and I think we saw that for India. They've had a couple of key players really step up and win them games. So I'm really loading forward to seeing what happens in the next few games.

Q. In your opinion, what is one of the things that you would like to see happen with International Women's Cricket?
MADDY GREEN: Look, I think the more teams that can be involved in the IWC is fantastic for growing the game. And I think we've seen some of the smaller nations, well, at least sort of nations that haven't competed as much in the last sort of decade really now competing and beating top teams, which is fantastic. So I think the more teams that we can get in the IWC, the better the women's game is going to get and the quality of teams.

And I think the more women's team that are professional is only going to lift the standard. And I think we've seen that come through from Australia and England, and they've really led the way and the way they play cricket alongside India is fantastic now. So the more girls that are on contracts, spend full time, training full time, it's only going to take the women's game to another level.

Q. Your captain Amy Satterthwaite, major disappointment with the bat. And your leg spinner, sensation, Amelia?
MADDY GREEN: I think Amelia has actually bowled pretty well. Got a couple of wickets today but not many.

Q. But previous games, when you came on, at times you were looking for her to really come and do some real magic; it didn't happen?
MADDY GREEN: Amelia is 18. She's a fantastic player and an incredible talent. And I think we've not yet seen the best of her. And she's, for her age, done very well for New Zealand over the last couple of years. And I think generally she's actually bowled pretty well. Bowled well against Pakistan and today as well. She's got a full bag of tricks.

As I said, I think she's only going to get better. I know Amy is probably feeling a little disappointed in potentially how her tournament has gone, but she's a class player and she's won ICC awards for being women's batter of the year. You don't get those sort of awards by not being a classy player. And as I say, form is temporary but class is permanent. I'm sure she'll bounce back.

Q. Do you know she has the world record for consecutive 150-overs. But do you think captaincy has been a problem and that it affected her batting?
MADDY GREEN: I don't think so. As I said, batters go through slumps of form. And Amy, immediately she hasn't had a great four games, but it's just been four games. She's an absolutely fantastic player and a key part of our batting lineup. Yeah, it was nice to get one back up over the Irish.

Q. Suzie Bates' first thousand T20 runs, massive achievement, comment on Suzie?
MADDY GREEN: Suzie is absolutely brilliant. She's a fantastic member of our side. She's great with all the players. She's incredibly humble. And she's an incredibly talented player. And we've seen Suzie perform for our side for a long, long period of time, so hopefully there's a bit more to come.

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