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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUPJune 28, 2019Kane WilliamsonLondon, England, UK Q. Have you officially got a team tomorrow? KANE WILLIAMSON: We will have a team, but I can't name it just yet because we just turned up to training for the afternoon session and we haven't quite been able to look at the wicket yet. Obviously a used surface, so we'll have to take that into account when we choose our side. Q. Is there a need for a change to the side? KANE WILLIAMSON: Every time we've turned up, we've had to try and adapt in terms of on the park, but also how we've looked to pick our side. Naturally, it has remained the same throughout, but there has been consideration. So we will have to see the surface and try and pick the best side suitable for what we're coming up against tomorrow. Q. How much consideration do you give to Ish Sodhi against that Australian batting lineup, perhaps being able to turn the ball and take the pace off it at Lord's on a used wicket? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, once again, we'll just need to look at the surface, try and determine whether we think it will spin. Over in England, it can at times, as we saw in the last game, which I think surprised everyone a little with the amount of spin that we saw. But like I say, we all need to have a look at the surface and pick our side accordingly. Q. Do you think there's been a major shift in the way captains are using strike bowlers in the middle overs, because middle overs certainly have taken a new importance of taking wickets there. Have you seen with Starcy, he bowls three overs with the new ball, then he's brought back; you might have tried something similar with Trent Boult. Is it a change in trend? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I don't know if it's a change in trend as much as you're trying to read the game as best you can and try and identify periods of play that perhaps are worth spending more resources. For example, bringing back what you might think are your strike bowlers to make breakthroughs at important times. I guess there's that subtle difference that we are here at a tournament, a World Cup, where perhaps teams adopt slightly different plans where we're playing different opposition day-in and day-out on different surfaces. So I don't think it's a theme, as such. I think it's just teams trying to execute their plans and play their best cricket. Q. Who do you see as the key wickets in this Aussie batting lineup? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, look, they have got a very strong top order. They have been playing really well, as well. The Aussie side as a whole. You know, naturally you're targeting anyone that's at the crease, basically, and that's what we'll be looking to do tomorrow. But we know that every time we play against Australia, they are a very strong challenge. But yeah, I think the most important thing is adapting to the conditions. Sometimes I think we've seen in the last few games, that looking to blast teams out, perhaps with the use of seam movement and these sorts of things, it hasn't quite been there, and it's been about playing the long game a little bit. We haven't played at Lord's yet, and we'll just have to assess those conditions. Q. It's going to be 32 degrees tomorrow and feel like 35 or something like that. When you've come from the cool of Edgbaston into this, how much does -- does preparation change at all? And then this might seem weird, but to drinks breaks take on extra importance? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, naturally with the warmer weather, you're going to hopefully get a few more drinks on board and deal with maybe the loss of fluid a little bit more than perhaps playing in 12 degrees. But I guess most teams around the world have played enough in warmer conditions around, you know, the subcontinent and different parts of New Zealand and Australia, as well, so it's just been one of those things. Q. There's been a lot of focus on the lineup in the wake of the Pakistan game. In terms of that, what is more important for you? Is it stability and continuity or is it picking the right team on the day? KANE WILLIAMSON: I mean, that's always a fine balance, especially when it comes to tournament sport where things are changing so quickly in terms of opposition, conditions, which I think every captain spoke about so much, whereas a five-match series in very similar conditions, mind-sets can change in respect to that. Once again, I think it's being brave in terms of thinking on your feet with the conditions you have and the opposition you're coming up against, and I think every team talks about making plays on the park. But there are also opportunities to do that in terms of how you pick your side. I do think it's important that you pick according to conditions, according to the side you're coming up against, but obviously bearing in mind that cricket is still cricket. There are so many variables, and nothing promises. So you still want your squad, as a whole, whether it's the 11 to go out and play with that freedom and express themselves because each game in this tournament carries a similar weight in terms of; it's all worth two points and everybody is playing for them. Q. You made the final four years ago. You've got a semifinal spot locked up already, but it's always New Zealand that's flying under the radar. It's always India, Australia, and England that are mentioned first. How do you feel about that? Do you feel as though you deserve more respect? KANE WILLIAMSON: I don't think I have a say in any of that to be fair. For us, it's just focussing on the cricket that we want to play and trying to stick to that to give ourselves the best chance. In terms of the outside, I guess opinions, or pieces that are written, that's not really for us to control. But you know, there are some very strong sides, some highly-ranked sides in this tournament, that the likes of Australia and India and England and all these perhaps sides that have come into the tournaments as favourites, and rightly so. They have been playing really good cricket, but as we know, and every side does, that when you come to a World Cup, or any tournament, for that matter; that on the day, anybody can beat anybody, and we've seen that on different occasions already in this tournament. Q. How much of a disadvantage is it to you that Australia have played on the pitch; they have been settled here in London. You haven't had experience on the pitch and you've only just arrived in London. KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I mean, it's kind of hard to say, really. The conditions will be a little bit different to perhaps what they experienced the other day. It's also one of those things you can't control. So not worrying about it is probably the more important thing. So for us, it's once again, trying to adapt as quickly as possible, and stick to the sort of cricket that we want to play to give ourselves the best chance. Q. England are obviously in a bit of a funk after losing a few games, and the run-in with arguably the three toughest tests to come in the last three: Obviously yourself, you've got England final and Australia tomorrow. Have you got any sort of extra stress, given that Pakistan are surging and the table at the top is a little bit tighter than perhaps it might have been looking a week ago? KANE WILLIAMSON: It kind of is what it is, really. You come to tournaments and sides beat each other and they climb the ladder, and that's what everybody sort of desires to do, and who remains is kind of the ones that go through. But at the end the day, you're trying to play the best cricket that you can to try and put yourself in one of those top four positions. You know, there's so many games of cricket; that so many different things can happen. We know in this sport the variables and uncontrollables we can come up against on any given day, and perhaps some sides might be more suited to certain conditions than others on a certain day, and that's just the nature of the beast. I guess you mention England. They have got a couple of games coming up, but they are still in a strong position, as are a few other sides. The focus I think probably for all of those sides, is to keep trying to apply what they know holds themselves in the strongest position which the sort of cricket they want to play, which is equally different to one another. When the time comes and the round-robin's finished, if you can hang your hat on that, then at the end of the day, you can either walk away and end up in a semifinal, or know that you've done that and it hasn't quite happened. Q. You spent a number of years with David Warner at Hyderabad. What are your memories of spending time with him, and do you feel like you have inside knowledge of how to knock him over? Is there something about his technique that you might know that other people wouldn't? KANE WILLIAMSON: Oh, look, he's a world-class player. Obviously spent a bit of time with him over the years. You know, day-in, day-out, he's one of the top players for a reason. He's able to adjust to conditions and continued to improve his game. We've seen that throughout this tournament, as well, where all the talk's been about 350-plus. We might have seen it once, and it's actually been about sort of hard graft and trying to get yourself into a position of strength to get a competitive total, and he's been instrumental on the Australian side; that he's adapted his game and been able to help put his side in a position of strength. We know he's a very good player. We want to still worry about us and what we want to achieve with the ball in hand, with the bat, and always importantly for us, it's how we operate with our attitude in the field, as well. But it's going to be a great occasion. Always is when you have the opportunity to play Australia, but obviously here at this ground, as well. So it's an exciting prospect. Q. You've obviously played in a range of atmospheres in this tournament, great support for the Asian teams in particular. What are you expecting tomorrow? I think there will be 30,000, 35,000; always an edge to Australia/New Zealand, probably a bit from the crowd. Does that play a part at all? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, like you say, the atmospheres have varied a lot. Pakistan was very loud. Bangladesh, very loud. India, we didn't even play and they were very loud (chuckles). You know, I guess coming tomorrow, usually you come to Lord's and there's sort of a quiet murmur when you play England, but I guess playing Australia it might be a little bit different when you have Kiwis and Australians filling out the seats. It will be a really good atmosphere, whatever it is, but I know for a fact that both teams are just looking forward to getting into the cricket. Q. Munro has been struggling a bit at the top of the order. Have you said anything to him or might you make a change there? What advice have you given him? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I think everyone is wanting more, always, I guess for a start. And then you come into a tournament where conditions vary so much, and someone like Munro has looked really nice for the most part, along with a number of other guys, and then kind of had some good balls or some lack of fortune, and that's led to downfalls. It's so important that you quickly look to move on and face what's in front of you rather than perhaps correct too much of what's gone before because the challenges are always new. New opposition, new surfaces. You know, for us as a team, it's trying to buy into, once again, what we think's important and that's sort of playing for one another and adjusting to the surfaces with smart cricket, whoever is in that 11. Q. How do you cope with the Lord's slope, both with the bat and as a captain, with your bowlers, given that you've seen quite a lot of cricket at Lord's over the years? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, it's definitely unique to Lord's. Bowlers that have played here do have a preference, and whether they like to perhaps bring the ball down the slope or maybe get a little bit more bounce up it on the angle, but it is unique and something that you do have to adjust your game to deal with, but also spinners come into play, as well, because if it's down the slope, it naturally carries a little bit more with that angle. Something different. Something for guys that haven't played here before to get their head around, and I guess just another part of adapting your game to what you are facing. Q. With the bat? KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, with the bat, I guess it's just on the other side of that coin which is perhaps the right-arm seamer coming down the slope is just going to bring it in a little bit more. It is different. But it is just about trying to adapt and being aware of that. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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