ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2021

October 19, 2021

Michael Leask

Oman Cricket Academy Ground

Scotland

Pre Match Media Conference

Q. Just a quick word on the atmosphere on the stadium yesterday and just Oman cricket's efforts in staging a World Cup.

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, to be honest, actually seeing the ground again, how it's changed from when we were here three weeks ago, it's amazing just to see the efforts that have been put on. Turning up at the ground yesterday, seeing the crowd, seeing the buzz, watching the actual opening ceremony, as well, was absolutely amazing. Just being out there in the field yesterday and feeling the vibe, it was absolutely amazing.

Look, just to even be here again is an honour for us, and just the way that the whole day panned out, it was amazing.

Q. Just a word on how the game went and how the tournament opener went for Scotland.

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, I think we were very humbled in the way that yesterday went for us. It wasn't the way that the game wanted to pan out, but look, you've got to make it -- sometimes you've got to play ugly cricket to win, and we proved that yesterday. It showed that we bat from 1 to 10, 1 to 11. Chris Greaves played an unbelievable knock for us along with Mark Watt, and then with the ball, the bowlers were just absolutely phenomenal really and just proved why we're so tough to beat.

Q. Would you say that after yesterday's win, you would be favourites to top this group? Would you consider that?

MICHAEL LEASK: Look, I mean, at the moment we're just trying to keep our feet on the ground, take every game as it comes. Look, PNG are going to be quite a force in the next game. We've played against them quite a few times, and we know exactly what they're going to come with. They pose their own challenges very different to Bangladesh.

But at the moment I think we're just looking to take game by game, day by day, just stay very much here in the moment and just take it every day, as we say. Look, we're going to try and get into the nuts and bolts of what we want to do for the next game and then hopefully take on Oman after that, so yeah, we look forward to PNG first.

Q. Have you seen their performance perhaps they've been a little inconsistent, PNG, so does that affect your way of preparation perhaps?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, we don't look into that too much. We only look at ourselves and how we're travelling at the moment, and as a squad we're really happy with the way things are going. We've got 1 to 16, 1 to 17 are absolutely champing at the bit. Our guys are just in a really good headspace at the moment, which is excellent for Scottish cricket.

Q. And the quick back-to-back games, if I may put it that way, although it's a day's gap, does that affect your performance, the heat perhaps, anything?

MICHAEL LEASK: No, not at all because we were here three weeks ago playing back-to-back 50-over games so I think that's actually stood us in really good stead to be fitter, be stronger, ready for this T20, even though it's a bit faster, a bit more energetic, shall we say.

We've had two 50-over games on the bounce, which are very energy sapping, so we're actually ready to go. The boys are fit and ready to go.

Q. Just one perhaps criticism of yesterday's performance has been that the batting was centered around one batsman. There was a collapse and he carried the innings. How are your batting preparations for tomorrow?

MICHAEL LEASK: Look, in every game if you look at it, somebody different has put their hand up. So I think we -- as I say, 1 to 10, any one of them are match winners with a bat. We trust each and every individual, so the likes if it's Munsey on his day, Kyle on his day, Berro on his day, Crossy, Calum, and then even Greavo yesterday, we've got guys who are match winners 1 to 10 and even 11.

So I mean, we don't look at that. It's going to happen in T20. Collapses can happen. Look, that's just the nature of game, isn't it. It's one of those, it's energetic, it's fun. That's the brand we want to play, and that's just the nature of the beast.

Q. We heard some of the celebrations immediately post-match yesterday. How important is team spirit to this Scotland squad, and how would you characterize the spirit within the team after yesterday's result?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, we obviously want to spend as much time together as a group. We know bubbles can be difficult. We're actually trying to get away from using that word, so to speak, and actually be really good around just the way we're handling ourselves and the group.

Morale is absolutely amazing to be honest at the moment. The way people are handling themselves, constructing themselves at training has been second to none.

Just the -- yeah, you saw yesterday when we were on the park the way that people are handling themselves around each other is absolutely amazing, and then just off the field. I think, yeah, we're in a really good headspace at the moment, and we're hoping to continue that.

Q. In terms of the significance of that victory in terms of advancing to the Super 12s, how much confidence does that give you that you can do it, and not only that, possibly top your group?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, as I've said already, we're very humbled by the way yesterday went. We're very excited about the way yesterday went, but as we say, we're trying to keep our feet on the ground and just take each day as it comes.

We know PNG are going to be a threat. We've not really talked too much about topping the group yet; we're just trying to take the next day as it comes. We know PNG are a very good side, and they've beaten us in the past, and we know that, so we know they are a big threat. Look, yeah, we know that the next game is not going to be easy for us so that's why we're just taking it day by day and we know that we'll come out firing again against PNG.

Q. You obviously played PNG in the 50-over format last month. Will that have any bearing going into this game tomorrow in terms of having won over there?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, we've played PNG three times, four times in the last month and we've had good success against them, but again, that means absolutely nothing going into this format. It's now competition time. It's now game time. This is at a world stage. You just never know what's going to happen on any given day. We're ready and raring to go, and we'll hopefully take another victory tomorrow.

Q. You talk about big moments for the countries. How big a moment do you think that was for Scottish cricket, beating the likes of Bangladesh?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, it's another victory for us on the big stage against another big team. Again, we never underestimate any victory in associate cricket, but again, beating the likes of Bangladesh just shows how far this squad and this team have come, and we're on the right track definitely as a group, which is really exciting.

Q. Obviously it was your 100th cap for Scotland yesterday. How special a moment is that for you, and also to see Kyle Coetzer making his 200th appearance in the same game?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, I'm absolutely honoured to have represented Scotland for 100 caps. Look, it's always been a dream even just to make my first cap, let alone 100. I never thought this day would even come. And to make it alongside Kyle getting 200, I've played alongside Kyle since I was four or five, same club, same everything. The guy is -- I absolutely idolized the guy, and he's absolutely just incredible.

He epitomizes what it means to be Scottish. If you watched him on the park yesterday, he just has pride, passion, and just shows what exactly what it means to wear the badge on his chest, and I think that just flows through the team, and it just shows that each individual just takes a little bit from Kyle, and it's amazing just to see what he's done for Scottish sport, to be honest.

Q. My question is regarding Chris Greaves; Kyle mentioned that he worked as a delivery assistant for Amazon. Do you think having such a struggling individual in your team works as an inspiration for the whole lot?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, I mean, it's something that every individual in Scotland cricket has. I mean, likewise, Chris has done delivery driving. I also worked and quite a few other guys do part-time work alongside their cricket.

It does, it takes your mind away from cricket at times when during lockdown it wasn't easy for everyone and Chris had to find another job to help him at the time, and look, he's now reaping the rewards from that because I think that time actually really helped him take his mind away from cricket at that time, and now he's got full focus on his cricket, and he's delivering for Scotland, which is absolutely amazing to see.

Q. What was the job that you were doing?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, so I worked at a building supplies company just also doing some delivery driving at the time, just to try and help out with the wee one now, as well, just try and be able just to do a little bit extra and not just sit at home because obviously during that time it's never easy to just sit at home and let your time pass away.

We actually pretty much -- 1 to 11 always had something going on during that time. It was really good just to take your mind away from cricket during the tough time.

Q. You wonder if people maybe don't understand the gulf almost between associate cricket and the top teams, that you guys really have to kind of work so hard compared to the guys at the very top.

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, but I think that's what makes associate cricket great. That's what we do. That's why associate cricket is so tough. You never -- no game is given to each other. Everything is fought for, every game, every wicket, every run is fought so hard for in the game, and that's what makes associate cricket so tough. That's the beauty of it really.

Q. You've played in the game against England 2018, another six-run win I think that was. How does this one compare to that?

MICHAEL LEASK: We've made this one a little bit different. Yeah, we did this one the hard way. Look, every game is different, and T20 poses its own challenges. I think we went the hard way around this time, and for me the way that this squad held together yesterday during those tough moments actually shows how far this group have come, and that's the really, really exciting thing.

When the chips were down, it showed that Watty and Greavo with a bat especially gave us a fighting target, and we knew once we got a fighting target that we had a chance on that day, and it just showed how much spirit this group has got to come through yesterday.

Q. Should you get through to the Super 12s, having obviously got a few big victories and obviously the one against Bangladesh yesterday, do you feel like this team can go on and take on anybody and give them a game?

MICHAEL LEASK: Absolutely. As I say, we're trying to keep our feet on the ground at the moment and not look too far ahead, but okay, looking a little bit further on, if that does happen, which we believe it will, yeah, no team in T20 cricket -- it is T20 cricket for a reason, and that is the beauty of the game. On any day somebody might go and get big runs, take five wickets, do anything, and every member of this squad firmly believes that looking around the dressing room that everyone can do it, and that's what stands us in such good stead at the moment, that we are so together at the moment, and it's just really good.

Q. Can you give us an insight on what has gone into regaining momentum as a side, especially after more than a year has gone because of COVID?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, look, I think actually having international cricket again, which we didn't have, you almost take it for granted at times. We played Holland twice in May, and just getting that little taster back for having not played for a year and a bit, the squad kind of found that really exciting, and it almost gives you a new lease on life. Just when you come back and you now play international cricket again, it almost makes you appreciate how lucky you are to be in the position we're in.

Now that I've played so many games in the last month, it just shows that now we're on a roll again, and we're just trying to take everything day by day, as we say. Yeah, we are really grateful to be in the position we're in at the moment after having not played for so long really.

Q. What's been the reaction from back home? Have they all been following the team very closely, and what's the general vibe that you've gotten?

MICHAEL LEASK: Yeah, I mean, I don't think we can thank everyone back home enough for the support we've received, even from the moment we touched down here and played the 50-over games, from the games against Zimbabwe all the way to now, we've had amazing support from each family members and general public and just general everyone in Scotland have been absolutely amazing. It does, it carries us through, and just seeing every little message of support from back home, it does, it gives us a little lift. Every message gives us each individually a little bit more to take on the park for the next game to fight for it.