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ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

June 29, 2019

Kane Williamson

London, England, UK

Australia - 243/9 (50), New Zealand - 157 (43.4)

Q. I guess the first question, Kane, is: What went wrong?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Very broad question I suppose. We could be here awhile (laughs). Look, it was a very good start with the ball after losing the toss, which look, I think at the end of the day, Australia out played us on that surface. But it would have been a nice one to win.

And we did have them, I think it was 90 for 5, which was a really good start to our bowling innings. The seamers were threatening the spin was threatening, obviously taking a lot of turn. And I think that partnership between Khawaja and Carey, it was superb. I don't think anybody hit the ball well on that surface all day except for Carey, and they managed to put on 100, which certainly got them a very, very competitive total.

You know, I suppose we were one wicket away if you're looking at positives in terms of our bowling performance and trying to restrict them to a much lower total, but it wasn't to be today.

Q. Can you just explain the tactics around when you had them 90 odd for 5 and why you didn't bring back someone like Trent Boult?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, like I say, it was turning a lot and offering a little bit with the seamers, and as the ball got softer, I felt that the spin, I certainly would have liked to -- had imagined that it would have been a lot more difficult. But the match-ups kind of didn't really fall our way with both our spinners turning the ball in to two left-hand batters. Hence, why I bowled a few more overs again.

But once again, credit to the way at Australian batters sort of fought hard to get them to a very good score, really, on that surface.

Q. How restrictive was the Australian bowling, because it seemed like a struggle to be able to get the ball away in the early part of that chase.
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, you know, they exploited the conditions beautifully well, and I suppose having played on the surface previously meant that they knew exactly what they were doing, and the tall lads hitting the wicket hard and there was some variable bounce. Then naturally as the game went on, it started to take that turn that we all expected.

So they bowled really, really well. Yeah, I suppose if we're being critical, we would have liked to have obviously taken that sixth wicket, which perhaps may have restricted them to below 200, and I'm sure it would have been a really tough battle. But once again, they outplayed us in all facets today, and it wasn't to be from our perspective.

Once again, it's been another surface that's been really challenging and different to other ones, but we do need to move on really quickly to our next match, which we know will be different again.

Q. Just an extension of that, the combination of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, how formidable is a threat in this World Cup?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I mean, they have been world-class, I guess on some of these type of surfaces when the ball starts perhaps, I guess getting a little bit rough on either side, someone like Mitchell Starc with the way he can get the ball reversing towards that middle back end; and that is how they use him, and that's one of his big strengths, and he showed that again today on a dry wicket.

Obviously Pat Cummins has been brilliant for them for a long period of time. I think as a side, on a whole, they are a very well-balanced side with a number of threats with bat and ball.

Q. With obviously two defeats in a row and England to come now, was there any point in this evening where you thought about net run rates. With Pakistan winning again, that gap is narrowing a wee bit. Is that something that's on the team's mind at all?
KANE WILLIAMSON: No, look, I think that's sort of one of those outcome things; that if we are playing our best cricket, then the next run rate, perhaps the opportunity to win, are all factors, and that's what we want to be focussing on.

So when the game was slipping away, we did want to build a partnership. We did want to try and take the game to a position where we might be able to fire a few shots, which obviously would have helped in that instance and given us more of a chance to perhaps have the opportunity to get over the line. But neither of those were a possibility today.

Once again, it is about moving on, and going to Durham and looking forward to a new surface, new opposition. Us as a side need to be really positive and play with that freedom, because when we do that, that is when we play our best cricket, and that's the sort of mindset we need to have.

Q. Just with the Steve Smith wicket, you had a very specific leg side field when he came in to face Ferguson. Can you explain the thinking behind that plan?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, we've done that a few times before. Obviously Steve's a world-class player. I suppose we tried to be a little bit creative, but it certainly took something pretty special, despite the plan to hang on to that catch, one of the best catches that you'll ever see.

Yeah, whether he's there for a pull shot, I can't quite reveal that (laughter) but he was there for something in the air, and that was nice, and he held on to it beautifully.

But yeah, it was a good start with us with the ball. But yeah, once again, just unfortunate we couldn't restrict them to a much lower total.

Q. You faced, I guess most of the bowlers in this tournament so far, and you touched on Mitch Starc before. Where does he rank in terms of the hardest bowlers you've faced in the tournament?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, look, obviously Mitchell Starc is often mentioned among the top bowlers in the world. I often look at conditions in terms of who are the biggest threats, and in any conditions, he's a wicket-taker and obviously shown that over a long period of time.

I suppose coming into this tournament, a lot of people expected certain conditions. They probably haven't quite been what people have expected and they have been a lot dryer, which is fine. The contest has been perhaps a lot more for the bowlers and the lower scoring, but at the same time, everybody has a role to play; that someone like Mitchell Starc with the ball that he can get reversing after their new ball spell is a definite weapon for him, and a really great thing for the Australian side, because at times, wickets through the middle can be a tough thing to come by. But they have obviously got a number of strengths in their lineup where they are able to call upon and achieve that.

Q. It was all going pretty smoothly not too long ago, and now two speed bumps. How do you regroup, and do you need to do much with the side to get back to winning ways?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I suppose if you look at Pakistan, there were a lot of positives. The result part is kind of secondary to the focuses that you want to have, and the sort of cricket that you want to be playing.

You know, there's so many variables in this sport, but I think we've seen so many already in the World Cup. You know, whether it's the conditions that are deteriorating, whether it's on the surface against an opposition that may have strengths in a certain area; it's all I guess trying to be well-planned, so then you can go into a match and try and execute those plans as best you can.

I guess it's one of the great things about tournament sport, as opposed to maybe a series where you play each other on similar conditions for five games or so, where there are so many variables, so much more perhaps even in those series.

For us, it is about moving on. Keep taking on the challenge with that great attitude that when we do do that and play with that freedom that, gives us the best chance of having success; but at the same time respecting the fact that anybody can beat anybody in this tournament, despite perhaps having some success early, that doesn't change, as we've seen. We've had two losses, as well.

It is about moving on to the next game, but appreciating that, planning well, and like I say, taking on that match that we have had last and with that really positive attitude and playing with that freedom.

Q. Just a follow-up, you're the master of recalibrating the team, regrouping it and focussing on the future. I guess I just want to know what these last two games have done for the momentum of your team, the momentum and the confidence, I guess of your team, and how are you going to recalibrate the team going into this final group game against England?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I don't think recalibrate is what we'll be focussing on. For me, it is always small margins. I think we touched on maybe that sixth wicket today and things potentially could have been quite different. You get one partnership with the bat, much like they did in their first innings, things could be quite different again.

So I guess rather than digging too deep, because often when you do, you're pretty much analysing something in the past, when, in fact, the challenge coming up can be quite different.

So the challenge, I guess, is the fact that you perhaps have lost a couple. Maybe there's a dent in momentum. But then at the end of the day, it is coming back to the cricket that we want to play. Playing with those smarts, I think cricket smarts throughout this tournament has been perhaps the most important thing. Even perhaps more than something like the word "freedom," which everybody wants to be able to achieve day-in, day-out.

But on these surfaces that have varied a bit, which has been great, great viewing, but you do need to be smart and adapt really quickly on them to give yourselves the best chance of success.

Q. Couple of good moments with the ball, Ferguson took two wickets up front and looks like he's bowling with good heat, and obviously Trent Boult with the hat-trick at the end. Can we just get a quick word on both their performances?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, look, he's been outstanding throughout this whole tournament for us. I guess, you know, he's got the ability to pick up wickets at any stage of the innings, so it's a really good weapon for us, and same with someone like Trent. I mean it's always a pretty special moment when you can get a hat-trick, regardless of when and where. But both of those two have been big performers for us for a long period of time, and it's important that they both freshen up and look forward to the next challenge ahead against England.

Q. Just on a positive note what was your reaction when Martin grabbed that catch? Could you believe it?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Pretty pleased. That was an epic catch, wasn't it? Yeah, I guess he had a couple of practises at some toughies and then he took the third one, didn't he, which was good (chuckling.)

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