16 November - Kolkata - Australia player Mitchell Starc post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
What were the emotions like there, particularly towards the end of that chase? Obviously, it got a bit tight there.
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, it did. I think it was a tricky wicket throughout and I guess different phases of pressure for both teams throughout the game. So, yeah, I was pretty calm. I think Pat was pretty calm as well. And whilst it was pretty close, we had plenty of time. So, nice to squeeze past and make to a final.
[Reporter:]
On a personal front with the ball, how pleasing is it, sort of gratifying to play like that at such a big game given the tournament you've had?
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, that's probably not been the tournament I would have liked from the get go but nice to step up in a big game. And I think our power play was probably what got us on our way. And there were other key moments through the day with bat and ball, but to start the game like that with Joshie [Hazelwood] and I, power play wickets have probably been not our strong suit through the tournament so it's nice to have a power play of what two for 18 or something like that so the way Josh bowled throughout to finish two for 12 was incredible, and then Trav with bat and ball. I think a lot of guys in the field as well, the way Davey stepped up in the field and led by example. You could probably name everyone at different circumstances through the day to really step up in a big game.
[Reporter:]
Just about the first 10 overs, later on it became a pitch that was really suiting the spinners. But what was it like for you and Josh? Bounce, moving around, compared to everything else that you've got?
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, it was obviously pretty bare wicket. I'm not sure if it was slightly tougher to start with the bat due to being under covers for some amount of time, I'm not sure how long. We probably saw it was very, very inconsistent pace whilst it did probably nip a little bit, there was a little bit of swing. I think the inconsistencies made it tough to bat on with that first 10 overs that we bowled. So, I think looking at Josh's pitch map, that's what he does so well in Test match bowling. He was incredible today and the way we run off each other to have that power play that we did and carry some momentum through the middle was how we want to start matches so it was nice to do it in a big game.
[Reporter:]
Speaking of power plays, just the innings that Travis Head played, in the context of the game and how difficult it got for batting. That is the role why, I mean, straight away, he has back and spine injury and everything.
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, I think the way not only Trav [Head] but also Davey [Warner], they certainly put the pressure straight on South Africa there in the first 10 overs. We've seen throughout the tournament how tough the first 10 overs can be at certain times of the day, with the two out and the hard new balls. When you're willing to take the game on like that and sometimes you take a little bit of luck with you but the guys were fantastic in that opening partnership and then Trav carried through a bit longer and he was probably looking a bit ominous there not to go further, closer to 100 so, yeah certainly took some pressure off early with the way that the guys started and obviously, much needed with how we saw the back end of the game and giving ourselves a bit of extra time not to have to go so hard at the end.
[Reporter:]
You mentioned that those power plays, was it, despite there being some counter punching and back and forth, was it really just a tale of two power plays? The story of that match and the fact that Australia was so aggressive in both - does that really reflect, I guess, the aggression of the side, the way you attack it, and the positive mindset straight on that you can just land that first punch early, do most of the hard work?
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, I guess so. I think I certainly didn't sit in batting meetings but that was pretty much how we drew it up. We wanted to hit hard with the ball. We know that South Africa are very strong at the back end if they've got wickets in hand and if we can get Miller and Klaassen in early or within the first 20 overs, then we're well on our way. It makes it a bit harder for them to back end it. So, it certainly went to plan with the ball today. And that's pretty much the way we set up with the bat is to really be aggressive, take the game on and the freedom to give those guys to go out and play the way they like to. I think that was certainly the first 10 overs with the bat is how we drew it up. Obviously it got tougher with the spin there and South Africa bowled well in different patches to put pressure back on us. But I think the way we started with the bat meant, as I said before, we didn't have to go as hard at the back end.
[Reporter:]
You'll be playing against India in Ahmedabad in front of 130,000 crowd. You have seen that Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have been having a great time opening. So how much are you looking forward to tackling the Indian openers with the new ball?
[Mitchell Starc:]
It’s why we play the game. We want to take on the best. They've been the best in the tournament so far and we both find ourselves in the finals. So that's what World Cups are about. You want to take on the best throughout and we certainly come up against a team that have obviously led from the front through the tournament and they're undefeated. So, we played them in the first game of the tournament, now we get to take them on in the last. So yeah, what a place to be at the end of a World Cup.
[Reporter:]
Are you a bit surprised given there's been so many runs scored in this tournament, you only had to look at last night when there was more than 700 runs scored in the Mumbai final, that you ended up on a pitch that really didn't showcase the one-day game as it could have been showcased in the major world cricket event?
[Mitchell Starc:]
Yeah, I'm certainly not going to say I'm one to read pitches and know what they do. I mean training here the last few days, the practice wicket certainly turned a lot. From all reports I think the wicket we played on has been used a few times so no surprise that it did turn. Probably a little surprising that it did seam around a little bit whilst I said before it was pretty inconsistent pace wise, I think average first inning scores here have been sort of around 300 mark or a little bit higher. So yeah, a little bit surprising but you know sometimes it's nice to see ball dominate bat sometimes.
[Reporter:]
Were you surprised that they didn’t come a little harder at you in the power play?
[Mitchell Starc:]
I think at certain stages they tried to. I think as I said, Josh was incredible with his line and length. We were able to build a lot of dot balls on them, which brings a shot like Quinton played. So, he's obviously been a big part of their World Cup and scoring runs and to see the back of him early and get their middle order in, as I said, sooner rather than towards the back end where they can play with freedom was what we drew up. So, I think the discipline we showed today probably prevented them going any harder or certainly the way we fielded as well prevented them leaking runs or letting the scoreboard get away from us. So yeah, a mixture of discipline with the ball and it certainly backed up in the field by the guys meant we certainly were on top in the power play.
[Reporter:]
Yeah, your batsman had a tough time against the South African spinners tonight is that a concern ahead of the final?
[Mitchell Starc:]
I guess we'll find out when we get to Ahmedabad tomorrow and see if it's a fresh wicket or an old wicket.
[Reporter:]
The last time India played Australia in the World Cup final was back in 2003. You were a sprightly 13-year-old boy at the time. Happy memories from that match for you given what happened in the final?
[Mitchell Starc:]
Apart from Australia winning, I don't know what happened in that game.
- Probably asleep. I can't remember what I did two weeks ago.
[Reporter:]
What do you think will matter the most in the final of a World Cup? Is it going to be handling of the pressure or will it be exclusively or largely the skill of the players involved?
[Mitchell Starc:]
You can probably say both. It's a big occasion, it's a World Cup final. Certainly, guys in both changing rooms have been there before at different formats. Both teams played each other in the [World Test Championship] Final earlier in the year. I don't think either changing room is new to big occasions. It's certainly going to be a big occasion in a World Cup Final in India. It's going to be loud. There's going to be a lot of passion there. It's going to be a fantastic occasion and no doubt there's going to be different amounts of pressure at different times on both teams. And yeah, I think it's just going to be a great spectacle of cricket. And certainly, everyone in our changing room is looking forward to the occasion.