14 March - Hamilton - Australia player Darcie Brown pre-match press conference

Reporter: Darcie, How did it feel yesterday? The ball was coming out of the hand beautifully and you must have been pleased to bowl with the winds and not against it.

Darcie Brown: Yeah, definitely was very happy to be able to ball with it, it was pretty hard work bowling into it from what I've heard, but those that did bowl into the wind did a pretty good job. So yeah, kudos to them.

Reporter: Ash Gardner said it was probably the best she'd ever seen you bowl. Where does it rank for you? That spell?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I mean, I felt like I was in pretty good control with the ball. I don't usually feel like that sometimes. But yeah, it was probably up there with how I felt with you know, control and rhythm and I guess pace so yeah, it was good to do that against a pretty good side like New Zealand.

Reporter: And I'm guessing you're probably really pleased about back, that, you didn't have the best time of it. against England. Can you just tell me what that was like learning you wouldn't play against Pakistan, whether that was a surprise and what you did to refocus and get it get it going really well against New Zealand?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I guess I think it was during that Pakistan match, I had a bit of a ball and a bit of a trundle with Ben Sawyer, our bowling coach, and he sort of helped me with a few tips and I guess keys to bowl, trying to go a bit fuller, and I guess swing it a bit more. So yeah, that was really helpful. I think that put me in good stead for that New Zealand match. But yeah, good to be able to, I guess get on the board in this World Cup.

Reporter: Just wondering - Bowling down breeze, With the wind at your back. Do you make a deliberate attempt to bowl flat out or is it just a matter of trying to get everything making sure it feels good and let them look after itself?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I think if I try bit too hard to bowl fast. It sort of goes a bit lay within you know, I might drop it a bit short or get a bit lazy and bowl down leg so. Yeah, it was good to just sort of get some rhythm and I suppose felt quite smooth going through my action as well that yesterday so yeah, very, very glad that I was bowling with the wind.

Reporter: What was your favorite wicket?

Darcie Brown: I think the catch was pretty special. It's was a pretty big scream and you know, the girls were up and about.

Reporter: Do you have any idea of the sort of the program for you going forward and is there a united thing - that because of West Indies – Australia – was so quick that you rest? Or is it just a match to match sort of thing?

Darcie Brown: Yeah. Not too sure. I suppose it might be a match up sort of thing. We'll see how that wicket looks. I guess and you know that there's a fair few spinning wickets as well. So yeah, I'm not sure. But I'm happy to play whenever they want me to.

Reporter: Because you're playing a fair few other games in Wellington. So do you think that gives you a chance given that you could come down with the breeze?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I guess so. Yeah. I'm assuming that it's going to be pretty windy again tomorrow, but yeah, I guess we’ll wait and see, I've got no idea.

Reporter: If you do play tomorrow - Darcie Brown, I guess you'll be potentially taking the new bowl against a couple of the most damaging batters in the world like Deandra Dottin. Have you thought about the prospect of bowling to someone as hard as she does?

Darcie Brown: I mean, it'd be an awesome challenge. We played against them in the practice match. And she whacked me around a little bit but yeah, always looking forward to a good challenge playing against some of the best batters in the world.

Reporter: How much will that practice match help decide plan for tomorrow's game?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, yeah, it was great to be able to play against them in the practice match. We learned a fair bit. So yeah, we will hopefully create some plans around that and how they went against us then. I mean, it's a different wicket, different place. It's a lot windier here than it was back in Christ Church. I think it was so. Yeah, I guess we'll make some plans around that. And yeah, looking forward to it.

Reporter: It's been about a year since you made your debut in the green and gold here in New Zealand. Back now obviously for the World Cup. You've played in an Ashes series as well. How do you sort of reflect on the last year that you've spent traveling around with this team, has it all all gone pretty quickly for you?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, it's definitely gone pretty rapid, but have enjoyed every bit of it. Yeah, it's pretty cool opportunity to be able to travel. I mean, I've only really been to New Zealand but it's pretty nice place to travel to so I'm just really grateful to be here and yeah, hopefully I can get a few more tours in and stuff like that. Yeah, just looking forward to being a part of my first World Cup.

Reporter: Do you feel like you've changed at all over the last year? Like have you matured a bit or just the same old Darcie Brown?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, definitely haven't matured at all. But I think I'm trying to take it pretty simple and yeah, just trying to, I guess be myself and yes.

Reporter: And just one more if I can – Megan played her 150th match in a green and gold across all formats yesterday. How valuable has she been for you not only as a fast bowler coming into the team, but also as a fellow South Australian.

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I'm so proud of her. She's getting old, so I kept telling her anyway, but yeah, pretty cool to see her fire 150 games and yeah, she's been pretty important to me over my cricketing career so far. So yeah, to be able to come over here in this World Cup with her and, you know, her wife and her child and to hang out with them. It's pretty cool. sort of feel like one of the family, I sort of get into her about – I'm sort of a child of hers, I guess. And I call her mother sometimes. So yeah, that's good fun with her.

Reporter: So it’s a slightly different bowling plan by the team yesterday with you and Perry opening the bowling and Megan should be held back to the 17th - can you talk to us about the thought process behind that change? And is this something that team is going to persist with in the coming matches as well.

Darcie Brown: Yeah, I mean, I guess I don't really know too much about other bowlers, I guess and other plans that that Meg has but yeah, I'm not exactly sure but I think it was to do with the wind and yeah, she was saying she was going to bowl down breeze but then I think she bowled against it for a little bit then came down breeze, but I guess it's all about matchups. And you know, something a bit different, I guess. And Shoot bowled awesomely coming into that 17th over which, I guess it was a bit different for her and what she's used to, I guess, but um, yeah, she nailed it. Anyway.

Reporter: My question is that after your phenomenal performance, like last night, I just want to know if anybody offered you chicken schnitzel?

Darcie Brown: No, nobody did actually. Went back home and ordered some Uber Eats. I actually had Nando's for the first time. Midge is a big Nando's fan. So I thought it was a noodle place originally, but yeah, it's pretty good. So I had a bit of pasta just before I bowled as well. So yeah, that was pretty good.

Reporter: My other question is that all four South Australians, they were together yesterday and bowled together and everyone was taking wickets - So how good was the feeling to have all of them playing together and taking wickets?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, it was super cool. So it just felt like we were back in South Australia just hanging out. Yeah, I think a teammate mentioned that all four of us were playing and - Yeah, I didn't really realize that but yeah, it's pretty cool. I'm not sure how long it's been since four South Ozzy’s have played in the Australian team. But yeah, I guess that gives credit to back home and the programs that we've got now and yeah, super proud to be a South Aussie.

Reporter: Yeah, I just saw a tweet yesterday, that you were four years old when Elyse Perry made her ODI debut. How cool was it to open the bowling with one of the greatest of Australian cricket?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, it was pretty cool. I think I saw that one as well. Yeah, she doesn't seem like she's that old. I’ll probably get in trouble for saying that – but yeah, she's an absolute legend of the game.

Yeah, so pretty surreal to be able to open the bowling with her and just be part of a team with her.

Reporter: Just following up on one of those previous questions. The last time you were in New Zealand. It was a debut series. You just bowled one over on your debut and one of the T20 matches McKay took you for a ride as well. How good was it to come back again and play - perform as well as you did against the same team?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, pretty cool. I guess it's good to contribute. And yeah, I guess, I suppose match up to some of the best batters in the world. I mean, there's still a fair few balls that you know, were pretty shocking, but yeah, I guess will keep working on that and just keep trying my best and having a smile on my face. So. Yeah, looking forward to the rest of the games.

Reporter: At the start of the tournament we asked Meg how often the best team was playing and how much rotation there would be and she said no - the best team will always play with the exception of some of our young pace bowlers and we think that that means you - so you sort of expecting to play, you put your hand up every match. Or are there certain games you know, you're not going to play? How are you being managed?

Darcie Brown: Yeah, definitely. I want to play every single game and get as much experience as I can. But yeah, I guess with the past of young fast bowlers has been a few injuries. So yeah, I guess when management sort of say that I need to rest. You've just got to trust them and know that it's in your best interest to keep you going for the long run. So yeah, I guess I want to play every game but totally understand when and if I need to be rested because yeah, I guess it's not just this tournament. I guess it's the rest of my bowling career that's they're looking at at I suppose totally.