15 March - Hamilton - Australia player Ellyse Perry post-match press conference

Reporter: Was that a great day for the bowlers and a less convincing day for the batters?

Ellyse Perry: No, I don’t think so - Yeah, obviously bowling first and taking some wickets in the powerplay and getting the momentum through that was absolutely awesome. I think you know, it's the kind of pitch where it is tricky to start at times and obviously I think when you're defending a low total team's going to come out and be particularly aggressive in the way that they bowl to you, so yeah, I thought we steadied pretty well. And obviously Rachel was absolutely pivotal in that chase and she played brilliantly.

Reporter: Is it easier bowling with the wind here in Wellington, your figures suggest so.

Perry: So I think there's a few factors. Certainly the wind is one of them. I think the slope on the pitch also plays a bit of a role. Yeah, it was kind of nice bowling down breeze today, but I think, yeah, to that point, it's sort of just adjusting the way that you bowl. And I think we've done that really well. Got a lot of swing and looked dangerous. And then our spin was really good with the breeze and getting some drift. So I think there's assets from bowling from either end.

Reporter: We just heard you speak at the post match thing about a session you did with Ben Sawyer, just working on a few things with your bowling - was that before the games? Was it yesterday? And what did you work on?

Perry: That’s really been for the last eight years. More than anything, specifically from the last couple of days. Yeah, but I mean, look - Ben spends way more time than he's paid to working with me. And I'm incredibly appreciative of it. I think - specifically today, we obviously got a look at the conditions and the way that the ground runs and the pitch the other day, against New Zealand. So I think just kind of with those things in mind leading into today, the whole bowling group was spoken about that and just making little adjustments, which I thought we did really well today.

Reporter: And just looking ahead to Auckland - I know, you guys didn't get much of a look at that ground last year with the rain. But how do you go about preparing for a kind of unique venue?

Perry: Yeah, the dimensions of Auckland are quite unique, it's a shame in a way that we did get washed out in that match last year, but I think, it's also a drop-in wicket. So it might be quite different to the conditions that we've faced here. But I suppose we've sort of moved around a little bit already in this tournament. I think we've been pretty good at adapting pretty quickly. And we obviously have played a lot of India recently and know kind of what we're going to come up against with them. So yeah, there'll be a few other things once we get there that we'll talk about, but in general, I think we're sort of going okay with that, and conditions won't play too much of a role.

Reporter: Can you just sort of confirm given that I'm sitting in Sydney, just with the ground - Is you bowled into the breeze the other day and with the breeze today and is the slope run downhill with the breeze?

Perry: Yes, yeah, that makes sense.

Reporter: So what adjustments do you have to make sort of going from one to the other - must be I think I heard Meg say it felt like playing two different games depending on which end you're playing from.

Perry: Yeah, well, I think into the breeze - it still comes across the ground. So from an out swing point of view, it's more likely to take the ball away from the bat, obviously, the slope goes down that way too. So you don't want to start the ball too wide, I think you want to make sure that you're still sort of trying to bowl the ball up the slope and let it come down with the breeze.

Then when you're running in with the breeze and the balls going down the slope, I think that kind of brings in the ball going both ways, both in the air and off the pitch. And you kind of get that natural variation, sometimes it sort of holds and keeps going with the swing. And sometimes it'll sort of take the pitch and go down the slope and come back in.

So yeah, I think you've just got to adjust a little bit with the way that you align at the crease - And then, in a way, you can kind of let the natural variation of the wicket do things as well.

Reporter: And so when you bowled Devine the other day, was that anything to do with conditions or to just nip back off the same angle in - what exactly did that do?

Perry: Oh, well, missed that one I suppose -like, coming wide up the crease and trying to bowl it up the slope, you kind of hope that it means that you know, the batter is kind of dragged out toward the off stump, thinking that the ball will shape away and if you can get it to keep going up the slope, like Megan did today, also she bowls was quite big in swing and I think she really swung it well up the slope and was effective there.

Reporter: You guys are looking pretty unstoppable here - We're sort of sitting around newsroom watching this match going - no one's stopping Australia. What's the feel like, the confidence like in the camp?

Perry: Yeah. I think World Cups are so unique in that sense. Like, I don't think you ever feel comfortable. You constantly having to adapt to you know, new conditions, new oppositions. And it's really just about like making sure that you're preparing as best you can. Obviously, you know, we're playing some pretty good cricket at the moment, it's been really nice that the contributions across the board from the whole group have been bang on. It's been good that we've had a few different tweaks in our 11 at times, so lots of players have had game time. And you know, all those things put you in good stead. But I think sport is such a fickle, fickle thing and it's why we will love watching it but you just never know what you're going to get on the day.

So yeah, we'll keep going as best we can in terms of our prep and making sure we're in a good spot to perform. But look, I think looking at this competition is by far and away the tightest World Cup that I've been a part of, teams are so competitive. We've already seen lots of upsets in different matches, so I don't think you can take your foot off the pedal, so to speak.

Reporter: You play India, in the next game. If I could ask you to jog your mind back to the - one of pink ball Tests that you played against India. You had a conversation with Jhulan Goswami at the end of the match. Can you tell us what exactly those conversations were because it was an animated conversation which was captured by the television pretty well.

Perry: Probably asked her what she had for dinner. So I don't know. But yeah, I think not just myself, but our entire team have a tremendous level of respect for Jhulan. You know, what she's done for the game, not just for the Indian team. But you know, the whole of women's cricket globally is just unbelievable. I certainly admire her longevity as well, and just how successful she's been over such a long period of time. You know, she's such a talisman for the Indian team. She's an absolute bedrock of that new ball. And it's been really, really tricky to get away.

So, yeah, I mean, when you sort of had the wonderful opportunity to play against a player like that for such a long period of time. Yeah, it's hard not to just have a lot of admiration for them. And yeah, it's always nice to see Jhulan - she's so I guess kind and bubbly off the field and always willing to say, g'day and have a chat.

Reporter: And if I could follow that up with the form of the Indian batters like Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti who struck hundreds in the previous outing, how does it all go for a side like Australia who are clearly on a roll, but personally what will you make of them coming into form at such a crucial juncture of the tournament?

Perry: We are constantly aware of the power in the Indian batting lineup, you know, Smriti and Harman - Two of the most dangerous batters certainly, both played Big Bash over the summer in Australia and were very, very good there. I think they both scored hundreds in that tournament, if not got very close. I know Smriti did. I can't remember if Harman did - but yeah, so I think for us like, we've played a lot against one another lately. So it gives us a really great chance to prepare. But yeah, it's a very strong batting lineup - the Indian lineup. Yeah, and I've only mentioned two names there. So yeah, it's going to be a great challenge for us. I think it's come really at the right time and I think both teams are in a really good spot. So it should be great clash.

Reporter: This has nothing to do with the game today. My question is you're in New Zealand. You're a massive country music fan. Just do you think Keith Urban is a New Zealander or an Aussie?

K: Keith Urban is an Aussie – as far as I'm aware – married to Nicole Kidman, he's a national treasure.

Reporter: And do you think if I asked the same question to anyone from the New Zealand side, the answer will be Aussie - or should I just ask them?

K: Knowing the Kiwis, they will try and claim anything that's really good from Australia, so – I mean they claimed Pavlova, Russell Crowe - actually like they're both New Zealand. So I'm not sure. I don't know if they'll want to claim Keith Urban or not. Who knows?

Reporter: This is your fourth 50-over World Cup. Can you just tell us what have you liked more being the baby of the side in that first World Cup or being the senior one - the senior most players today and leading the bunch of youngsters there?

Perry: Oh, I think like anybody in the journey, their career - like you love different parts of it for different reasons. I think without a doubt, one of the greatest highlights that I will ever have playing this game is the amazing growth and development of women's cricket. And just the opportunities that have been afforded to us over that period of time. You know, my first World Cup was probably a pretty small event, in comparison to where we are now obviously, the T20 World Cup in Australia. And that final with 86,000 people is going to be incredibly hard to beat but you know, the sport keeps growing from strength to strength. And it's just so exciting to see, the players coming through, but also just the interest that's evolving for fans and public and around the world. So, yeah, for different reasons. I've loved every minute of it.