12 March - Wellington - New Zealand player Maddy Green pre-match press conference
Reporter: Look just with the local conditions. I mean, you're one on the team who probably knows them as well as anyone, how big a part do you think they're going to play tomorrow by looking at the forecast of a friendly southerly Gale.
Maddy Green: As a team and as a player, we've played a lot of cricket here. So really looking forward to getting out on the basin. Usually a pretty good surface from a batting point of view. It could do a little bit with the ball early on. I think generally it's a really good batting surface. So looking forward to getting out there and I think it should be a pretty high scoring game.
Reporter: And the fact that there's not necessarily a huge recent history between you and Australia at that venue. Does that sort of make it a blank slate for you guys in terms of there's not much baggage or is that there's not much data for you to work on?
Maddy Green: Yeah, I was actually talking to Sophie Devine this morning. The last time we played here I think was in a T20 few years ago now and we managed to topple Australia in that game. But look - I think it is a pretty good venue for this game, was certainly pleased not playing Mount Maunganui which I think they’ve got nearly all the hundreds there against us. But look, I think it's a great surface here at the basin and the outfield usually record as well. So I think it should provide a good contest. I haven't seen the wicket yet up close, but no doubt. It'll be a good one.
Reporter: Just wondering how much confidence you took from the warm up match where you beat Australia by nine wickets?
Maddy Green: Yeah, that was a really excellent performance, I think with the bat more than anything. The way that Sophie and Amelia batted in that warm up game was excellent, but I think we can read too much into warm up games. Definitely gives us confidence but we know that we've got a really strong team that can really challenge a great Australian side and we're just looking to get out there tomorrow and put on another strong performance against them and hopefully come away with a win
Reporter: Just wanted to ask about how crucial this particular game will be given the fact that a lot would happen in the points table over the next week or so. How important would be this particular game - bagging a win in this particular game, before going forward to the second half of the tournament?
Maddy Green: Looking I think any game in a World Cup is important. So I think this game is any more or less important than the rest of the games for us. I think Australia probably set the benchmark in woman's World cricket in the last few years and to get a win over them tomorrow would put us in an excellent position but we're just taking each game as it comes at the moment. But yes, certainly every game we're going out there looking to win so it doesn't change too much for us.
Reporter: How are you and the team finding the well with of being the host of the Home World Cup where you're kind of traveling and playing in a new venue every few days.
Maddy Green: Yes, it's been a really hectic schedule this first half of the draw for us. Moving every few days. But we're really fortunate to be playing in our home backyard and every venue we're going to it's one of the girl’s home grounds so we're really enjoying that - all the best coffee spots to get takeaways from and things like that. So we're enjoying being at home and having friends and family in the crowd is really special as well.
Reporter: Obviously the team hasn't been named yet but for some that will get named this will be by far the biggest game of their career. Do you hype that up? Do you sort of embrace that or do you try and sort of minimize the occasion as much as you guys can?
Maddy Green: Look, I think it's a really exciting opportunity for us to get to play in a Home World Cup against Australia at my favorite ground in New Zealand. It's pretty cool. But you know, we've got some incredibly experienced players on our side that have played in the World Cup finals and things like that. So look, we're just taking this as another game. Yeah, it's important. Every game is important, as I've said but the key for us is to go out there and focus on what's been going well for us and focus on the things that we need to keep improving on as well. So just looking to get out there tomorrow and put our best foot forward.
Reporter: So, when we spoke to the English before they played Australia, they saw it as a bit of a free hit, you know, like world number ones, favorites - if we do anything against them, we're lucky - good on us. Is that how you guys see it or do you think home ground you really should beat Australia?
Maddy Green: Oh, look, as I said, I think Australia have set the benchmark in women's cricket in the last few years. So they're going to be a tough side to beat. I don't necessarily think it's a free hit for us. As I said, every game we're going out there trying to win so it's about making sure it's the top sides in the world that we go out and express our skills and then take some confidence from the performance that we've had in the last couple of games. We know they’re a really strong side and if we play well, we know we can beat them.
Reporter: What do you make of Australia's first two performances?
Maddy Green: Oh look, I though the game in Hamilton was really exciting. The girls were watching it at the hotel and I thought it was a cracking game of cricket. They're a really clinical side and they got a lot of depth in their side as they showed in the last game with a few changes in the team and still performed really well. So look, as I said, we're going to have to play well to beat them, but we know that we can and we're pretty familiar with this side, we’ve played them a lot in the last couple years, so they'll be nice to play them here at the basin.
Reporter: Maybe you want to just talk us through - we got a couple of milestones coming up in this game, so Katey Martin playing her 100th ODI, Amelia Kerr playing her 50th A comment on both of those players and what the milestones mean for them.
Maddy Green: Yeah, really special for both of them. I think Katey’s been playing in this team. I think it's something 18 years, so it's really special for her. I think the way that she's been performing in the last few games as well and just really pleasing for her. She's a quality player. And you know, I know that she's been such a great servant to the team not just on the field but what she brings off the field and her energy and enthusiasm and how she gets around the girls. She's such a fantastic human - so to see her get 100 games for New Zealand - it's a really proud moment, for her and her family and they're going to be in the crowd tomorrow watching and Amelia to play her 50th game against Australia at the basin - I'm not sure it gets much bigger than that. She's such a talented cricketer only 21, 50 games. Can't wait to see what she does in the next 50 as well. So I know that she's only going to get better and better. So should be a great occasion tomorrow and the girls are really looking forward to celebrating it.
Reporter: Katey Martin is a pretty excitable character at the best of times what are the excitement levels going to be like tomorrow?
Maddy Green: I actually think she'll probably be a little bit more reserved tomorrow. I think she's been holding on to get to these 100 games. So she'll be really excited. As I said the family are going to be here which is awesome, Katey - so well deserved. She's been such a great servant for us and what she brings to the group off the field and mentoring the younger players and yeah, she's just - she's great. So really looking forward to getting out there with her tomorrow and seeing what she can do.
Reporter: So, he is just asking around Georgia Plimmer and as plays captain, how have you sort of seen her growth over the last while?
Maddy Green: Yeah, Georgia had an awesome Super Smash season. I think probably the numbers that she put out actually don't reflect how well she's going and she's such a talent I think her confidence and how she plays with such freedom is really exciting. So it'd be great to see her get a game at some stage. I'm not sure when that might be, but she's a talent – I think it works well for our batting starts going forward to have someone like Georgia coming through.
Reporter: I was just having a quick look - it's 29th Jan, I think you guys last played Super Smash at the basin - how much does the pitch change I guess when you add in and factor in two months of the season, I mean, you're going to be coming to it quite cold in terms of - you've got to assess it as if it's the first time in a while.
Maddy Green: I think pretty much every time we play here at the basin is a good surface and it can look a bit green on top, so it might have something to offer the bowlers in the first 10-15 overs but it generally flattens out and will stay the same way I think for 100 overs. So look, should be a really good batting surface. I was talking to one of the ops managers here at Wellington cricket this morning and they said they haven't had cricket her for a while. Another grounds man [inaudible 10:36] last preparation time to make sure it's a cracking wicket for a good game of cricket.