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ICC WOMEN'S WORLD T20

November 15, 2018

Stafanie Taylor

Gros Islet, Saint Lucia

West Indies - 107/7, South Africa - 76/all-out

Q. But it was quite a night, a night of changing fortunes.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Yeah, you know, looking back in Guyana, our batting was not the best at the moment. And here we are still in that position. And we struggle to reach to 107. I thought that in the middle there with Natasha and Kycia batted well. We needed that partnership. And I think the bowling performance topped it off.

Q. They gave you 60 runs. And going forward, I think everyone will probably expect the batting has got to get better.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: We said in our team meeting we've been working hard in the nets and our game. I just believe it's all about application. Need to give ourselves some time to assess the wicket. I don't believe we are giving ourselves some time. We're good batters that can clear the boundary at any time. I'm not worried about boundaries. I just believe our application just needs to get better.

Q. When they were 41-for-1 of 10, what was going through your mind there? You really need to pick up a couple of wickets. What went well for the West Indies?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: I guess on the good side I think when I actually got hit. When I got hit, I said to Dottin that I'm going to bowl. And I believe that drive -- that drive me to be, you know what, I'm going to take over this bowling and got a breakthrough.

Q. You seem to have the ability to bounce back, to fight back like a heavyweight puncher. You get knocked and then you hit back. What's the feeling that you have that kind of ability in your team? The first match you have Deandra getting off for the bowling and you came to stand and spoil your team on the bowling. How does it feel to know that you have players of such ability that could rally on and fight back for the team?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Well, it's a great feeling to have such talented girls, girls that have been working over the last few months, over the last few years working on their game, working on their bowling. And there's never a doubt in the bowling department that if we put up 90 runs that we can't come and put up a good fight.

And looking at how we played in Guyana and here, we do have a good bowling unit.

Q. And with your batting, is there going to be some changes? Do you think that you need something to boost it up right now; that's the balance that you're trying to get, is there going to be some changes in your batting lineup or something?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: I can't really say if we're going to have any changes. I think going forward that would be the decision of the coaches and I. And we'll see what happens.

Q. Two years ago nobody knew much about West Indies women's cricket and you guys were fortunately the dark horses of that tournament and you came out of nowhere to win it. In the two years since, you've become the darlings of the region and there's a lot of expectation on you guys. Is that pressure -- are you guys feeling the pressure as defending champions to perform well again in this tournament?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Well, when you look back in the past, we've been to semifinals. So two years ago that's crossing that hurdle and where we won. So we've been to semifinals. We've been threatening teams and stuff.

Q. But this time around as defending champions, is there more pressure on you?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Well, expectations is high. Seeing that you win a championship, everyone expects you to come out every game and win and win. But I think as a team we just need to focus on what we need to do and not worry about surroundings, just try to focus on each game at a time.

Q. In the two matches you've played, you seem to be enjoying the cricket. There seems to be great spirit within the team.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Yeah, the camaraderie amongst the girls has been good. We've been in camp for over five months. So I think that gelling has been magnificent and we're enjoying each other's company. And I think that's what's helping us when we go out there to play well.

Q. Was this the biggest crowd you've played for in front of in the Caribbean at least?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: I think the crowd today was fantastic. I was really surprised to see that crowd when I look back at CPL, there wasn't that amount of people. And to see that amount of people that came out to watch our game, it's just fantastic. And the girls were loving it.

Q. I was going to ask you about the crowd support and to pretty much assess the conditions because we've seen a lot of low scores in Saint Lucia so far and anybody who has played in Darren Sammy would tell you it's a batting paradise. What we've known historically is not what we're seeing right now. Just assess the conditions. And I can guarantee you on Friday it will be packed even more.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Well, when we got here, we didn't get a chance to have a proper net session because of the rains. So we didn't get that chance to get out there and see what the condition is like. Yeah, we've heard that it's bouncy, it's a batting paradise. It seems like it's a good wicket when you get yourself in. But I believe that it favors the bowlers. Seeing how the pace bowlers bowl, I thought that the South African pace bowlers bowled really, really well to us. We just had a series against them. So we both know each other.

Q. I think the crowds have set a new high internationally, because from what we're hearing, we can expect them on Sunday to have maybe even a bigger crowd and as big as the one in Guyana. I think the team has been well-backed by some renowned, well-attended, which has given the other countries who have hosted a Twenty20 maybe a very, very outstanding sort of performance with the actual attendance. I think the crowds has broken the records for watching female cricket and the Caribbean crowd has made the West Indies both proud.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: And that is fantastic. I mean, if you look back against when we played here the last workup, I guess -- I can't even remember how old I was, but very, very young -- I don't think the crowd was that big. Or maybe because of the area where we played and now it's a stand-alone T20. And I think the marketing has been brilliant so far.

And we have people all over coming to watch our game. So I think that's just fantastic to see the amount of people coming out to watch.

Q. Just a word on the fielding. The game seemed to change when Deandra had that amazing run-out. The crowd got into it and you became an army rather than a team. A little bit on the fielding and especially that run-out.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Yeah, you know, Deandra, I think her position at point, back-up point, is pretty much fixed. That's Deandra's position. So everyone knows that. When she's not bowling, that's where she's supposed to go, because she's magnificent. She's fantastic. She gets around pretty quickly. And batters fear her when she has -- when she's going towards the ball no one wants to take a run. So I think when Dane got run out, I think she was caught offguard, but it turned out to be in our favour. So I'm pretty much happy for that.

Q. And you've got two of your more experienced players watching on tonight, Merissa and Anisa, even though they're not playing I'm sure that the support from beyond your rope is tremendous as well.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Yeah, I mean, the team that we have, it's a pretty good squad. And looking at the conditions, I think we could basically select any player to go out there. So it was just unfortunate, but I don't think it would be the last of Anisa or even Merissa.

Q. And Sri Lanka is up next. It's become a quarterfinal. The winner, if you win, you put them out. And that means you go to the semis if you win. I'm sure you're looking for a win.
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Of course. We want to win every game. We want to top the zone, get that momentum going into the semis. So I know it won't be easy. We still have a lot of work to do and we have tomorrow's training, and we just have to go out there, work on what we need to work on and come out fighting hard again.

Q. Finally, it's almost midnight. The grounds staff are out there preparing for tomorrow to have you back. A little word on them: They've been tremendous through all this rain and then it got really hot today. You must have a beer or two for them?
STAFANIE TAYLOR: Yeah, I think they did a fantastic job. Kent and I are really good friends. And I know he's really good at his job, and we've been talking and he told me that he's been doing -- he's been overworked to get everything going. So that's fantastic on their part.

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