ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022

October 28, 2022

Jonathan Trott

Melbourne Cricket Ground

Afghanistan

Post Match Media Conference

Q. So the thing is how frustrating is it for the team to not have another game? How do you see this? For teams like Afghanistan and Ireland who actually don't get to play a lot of big teams, these are the opportunities. Being a coach, how frustrating is it for the team?

JONATHAN TROTT: Very frustrating. Obviously after the New Zealand game, you thought no way is it going to happen twice. In a game that's a must win game for us or a game we wanted to win very much.

It now comes down to we have to win our next two games, which we've played Sri Lanka before and we know each other well. So that should be a good game in Brisbane. That's at the forefront of our minds now.

So it is very frustrating. That's what happens this time of year and the beginning of summers. This always has the potential to happen, and it's just really unfortunate.

The frustrating thing as well is there's a stadium down the road that's got a roof on it as well so you can play cricket there. So we could have had lots of cricket.

But this is the way it is. It's what makes tournaments unpredictable. It makes tournaments exciting with regard to the matches coming up, must win games. Hopefully we can be part of it in the mix and looking forward to it.

Q. Going forward, do you feel it is important that all the stakeholders talk about it that, whenever there's an opportunity of having a roofed stadium or something like that, there has to be a backup of that kind?

JONATHAN TROTT: No, I don't think you can have backups and all that sort of stuff because the logistics of it all to put on a World Cup is huge. The ICC always put a lot of diligence and effort into their thought process. Who would turn down an opportunity to play at the MCG two matches like we had scheduled?

So we were very excited. We thought it was on the books. It was going to be some spectacular games, doubleheaders as well. So the people of Melbourne were going to get some fantastic cricket.

Hopefully the game tonight goes ahead, and the people get something to watch because that's what the World Cup is about. Certainly T20 is about showing the game and putting it on the huge stage that it is and people watching it and growing the game.

Q. The last time you played and the next game now, it's a gap of ten days. How does that really affect the team? You're not -- you're probably going to be the one that's not played the most. How do you manage that?

JONATHAN TROTT: Yeah, it is tricky, and I think we've been in Australia for quite a while now, we had quite a bit of a buildup in Brisbane. And we played already a warmup game in Brisbane, so hopefully we can learn from that and the conditions there.

The game we did play at Perth, I think, is pretty similar to how it's going to be in Brisbane. So are players should be well versed, and it's going to be an exciting game, must win for both sides.

We haven't really have excuses of we haven't played for ten days, and that's the nature of tournament cricket. You could have those gaps where the ODI rained off. When you play a World Cup, there's sometimes four or five days between a 50-over game, and if one game's rained off, you're going to have that break.

With the World Cup next year as well, it's good practise, good preparation for the players and the mindset of how to prepare for games and be successful.

Q. Jonathan, how bad was the outfield out there? Can you compare it to the other night?

JONATHAN TROTT: I think it was exactly the same. These sand based grounds, they get to a certain point where the mud is actually there. The water doesn't stay on top because it's designed also for players who wear boots. It's very much winter weather, and you could very much have an AFL or a rugby game on there or whatever.

With cricket, it's very different with the spikes. The ground is very soft. Umpires think obviously it's not suitable for playing. Never mind it's still raining, but if it stopped, they would still struggle.

I think for the England game, it's going to have to stop for a little while and dry out. Fingers crossed we can get some cricket in for the crowd.

But around the square where it's run off the covers and it rained the whole of yesterday, didn't it? It rained the whole of last night as well. I woke up and had a look at the radar, and the last six hours it had rained.

To be fair, the grounds staff have done an amazing job for the ground to be in the condition it is and for them to almost be able to play after the amount of rain they had. So full credit to the MCG and the people here and the ICC.

Q. Would you have any concerns if you had tried to get on for any of your fastballers or fliers?

JONATHAN TROTT: You always have concerns. You don't want injuries to happen. When we warmed up the other night, players were slipping over running in a straight line, never mind having to change direction or dive or those sorts of things.

The spikes are very different obviously to football boots. They sort of go through the soft soil. So that's the difference compared to normal cricket, traditional cricket fields we have in England where the grass is a little bit thicker maybe.

It's a great place to play, and we were disappointed we can't get on.

Q. If it stops raining, do you think it's possible to play?

JONATHAN TROTT: I don't know. Depends on the drainage and the work the grounds staff have been able to do and just how quickly it can dry with a bit of wind.

You always want to see cricket played at a World Cup. You don't like fans or spectators coming to grounds and being turned away. You want to grow the game, and you want to put on a good advert. I know England and Australia will be chomping at the bit, just like we were.

I spoke to a lot of the Irish players who were out there looking at the ground and our players, and we were desperate to play. That's only a good thing for us and very disappointing at the same time.

Q. Just on that, Jonathan, Ireland make their debut the other night and have a famous win in their whole country's history. I think it was the same for Afghanistan. I think this was supposed to be their MCG debut. Just how jealous are you of the Irish that they get their moment and you're left sitting there for two days? As you say, so frustrating, disappointing?

JONATHAN TROTT: I think jealousy is a sort of thing you don't want to have. Otherwise, you could find something to be jealous about everyone all the time. That's just the way the cookies crumbled, if you like, and we've got to be ready for the game in Sri Lanka, and that's at the forefront of our mind.

But the MCG is a fantastic place to play. Very fortunate to have played here and enjoyed it immensely, also coached and got the opportunity to walk around the stadium and actually enjoy because, when you play, you don't get the opportunity to see around and all the history and the heritage that it has.

Yeah, I'm over the Irish beating the English all the time because they beat us at a World Cup about ten years ago in Bangalore. So they have a habit of doing it. So it's time for that to stop (laughter).