17 February - Gqeberha - South Africa Captain Sune Luus pre-match press conference

[Reporter]

Hi, Suné. All the best for tomorrow. Just wanted to ask on your personal form, you had a long hit today in the nets. Is there anything specific you're working on? How are you feeling towards your batting?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, I don't think today was any longer than what I normally do, but I feel like I'm hitting the ball well at the moment. So I just enjoy batting in the nets because it feels nice, I guess.

[Reporter]

Also wanted to ask, as we see it's raining here, and the last time these two teams played at the 2020 World Cup in a rain-affected semi-final of sorts, has there been any discussion about how to approach?

[Suné Luus]

No, I think the rain is out of our control. It looks like it might clear up for our game. But no, we just take it as it comes. We know Australia is a very strong side and we're going to have to put in a very good performance if we have to beat them. So I think whether it's raining or not, we've just got to stay focused on the task.

[Reporter]

One more from me. Are all the players available for the square clash?

[Suné Luus]

As far as I know, everyone's good to go.

[Reporter]

Hi, Suné. Can you just talk a little bit about how tough it was to take that first loss to Sri Lanka and what you've told yourself and the team to turn it around for the following match against New Zealand and now going forward?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, obviously losing the first match against Sri Lanka wasn't part of the plans. It was always going to be a very tough match, you know, being the opener of the World Cup. I think we understood the pressure. But you never really understand it until you get there and you never really understand the magnitude of, you know, the whole day. So it was very disappointing. But I think, you know, we had a long discussion afterwards just saying how we want to approach the next coming games and how we want to play for the rest of the World Cup campaign. And I think that showed in the New Zealand game.

[Reporter]

And another pressure game, obviously, very important for you guys, but against Australia as well. How do you sort of approach them as an opposition?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, I think if you look at all the previous games we've played against them, it's been always closed games. I don't think they've ever run away with the game, which I think is giving us a lot of confidence at the moment because, you know, we have a world-class batting attack, a world-class bowling attack against a world-class team as well. So I think it's going to be a great clash tomorrow. I don't think there's going to be any reason for us to stand back. I think the only way to beat a team like Australia is if you take the fight to them. And I think that's definitely what we're going to try and do.

[Reporter]

Do you think one thing that might help you take the fight to them is the pitch? Because the first two games here were a little bit slow, but it looks like we've got quite a nice fresh track here.

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, the pitch looked absolutely amazing. There's a bit of grass on it, it looks nice and hard. So, you know, they got a great bowling attack with some great pace bowlers and we do as well. I think it's going to be a great contest tomorrow and just to see how the pitch will play under lights as well. Maybe skidding on a bit quicker. So I think the pace bowlers are going to play a very vital role tomorrow.

[Reporter]

Hi, Suné. Just on kind of the way that teams are approaching this and especially Australia seem to be taking this kind of aggressive standard, particularly with the bat. You know, it's something South Africa I know want to implement, how do you feel you are going about doing that to play more aggressively? And can you implement that style against Australia? Is that the only way to beat them?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, I think we can definitely pull it off. I just think, you know, our top three maybe hasn't fired the way they wanted to. And I think we all know the ability they have. And I think it's just a matter of, you know, one innings for either of them and to get into momentum. So I think tomorrow is definitely another opportunity for them to fire and to play that aggressive cricket that we also want to play, that we know Australia is going to play.

[Reporter]

How much of an impact is it that SA has never won against the Aussies before? Is that maybe like, I don't know, a hurdle or something?

[Suné Luus]

I don't think that's a hurdle. I think it's very exciting. I think it gives us the opportunity to play cricket with freedom and to know that, you know, whatever happens, we want to leave everything on the field tomorrow and to get off the field and say we've given it our all. I think we have absolutely nothing to lose tomorrow, just to play a good game of cricket and to play aggressive and to tick all our boxes going into the, you know, going into the match against Bangladesh as well.

[Reporter]

Looking at the last couple of games here in the pool stage, you know, it might be coming down to net run rate to see who goes through to the knockouts. Are you guys sort of looking into that now and keeping an eye on how to keep that even if you do lose one of the next two games or, you know, stuff like that?

[Suné Luus]

I think, you know, behind the scenes, some of the coaches might, you know, just keep an eye on that, but I think for the players, we very much focus on every game and, you know, if we get a win tomorrow and a win on Tuesday, the net run rate won't matter. So I think it's just for us to focus on every game. I think the task ahead is Australia tomorrow and that's currently what we're focusing on.

[Reporter]

Suné, you speak about, you know, taking the fight to Australia. I just want to find out from you, does a game like these, obviously, you know, do you feel any sort of pressure, you know, going into a game like this knowing that it might, you know, prove very important in the later game, in the last pool game against Bangladesh? And just, you know, a word on Nonkululeko Mlaba, obviously, she got great figures in the game against New Zealand.

[Suné Luus]

I don't think there's a lot of pressure. I think, you know, tomorrow is just a great opportunity for us to go play another game of cricket and to, you know, like I said, tick a lot of those boxes that we haven't been ticking. We obviously know Shirley is a very good side and it's going to take a special performance from us to, you know, to beat them. But I think all the girls are very excited for it and, you know, just ready to get on the park. And I think the way that Nonkululeko has been bowling, I think she's matured in such a short time and it's very exciting for us to see her thriving and just enjoying the World Cup. She's played a vital role for us up front and throughout the middle overs as well. And hopefully she can just continue with the form tomorrow.

[Suné Luus]

AFRIKAANS Thank you so much Suné, first of all, good afternoon Sunai, Sunai I have a question for you and you can correct me if I'm wrong, based on Australia's background, their history in these competitions and their three matches so far, what is the other advantage of me as your listener to accept that Australia will possibly be the first to be in tomorrow's match or does the Portia captain assume that you as the host, or rather the home team, that you are the first to be there in a game?

[Suné Luus]

I think Australia is always the advantage when it comes to the World Cup and any game. I think they are number one in the world for a reason and they have been incredibly good at cricket for a long time, but I think there is always something with us that is the other day and I think that is something that can be improved a lot and I think the whole country will be number one at the EWS, I know that all the cards are already sold out, so I think that we can absolutely not lose anything with tomorrow's match, if we win, we are number one team in the world and if we don't do it, no one expects it, so I think it's just for us to play good cricket, to give our best and just enjoy it.

[Reporter]

Suné, just as a follow-up, in what aspect of the game do you think they should be on your sharpest point in the Australian team? I think they obviously have a very good balance,

[Suné Luus]

I think their batting is very good, I think that they can restrict us to 150, I think we have the best to be able to chase them off, I think that if we bat first, we can set up a very good team, 160 plus, our batting is incredibly deep, but we are the world class bowlers, so I think either way, our bowling and batting, infielding, we can do the best we can with who we are, we can minimal foul with Mark and do our best.

[Reporter]

BACK TO ENGLISH Hi, Sune. Annesha Ghosh from India, independent journalist. Given Australia had a match winner, a new match winner in every single game, a new player of the match. If you could share your thoughts on two of them in particular, Ashley Gardner, what makes Ashleigh Gardner special? She's gone for a lot of money at the women's Premier League auction and the other one is of course, Grace Harris. She performed with the ball yesterday, but do you think a big knock from Grace Harris could really derail your plans?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, Grace is a very underrated player. I think she's very, very good at what she does. And I think the moment she gets off the mark and starts hitting the balls in the middle of the bat, there's trouble. But I think, you know, we have world class bowlers and I'm confident that we can restrict her to, you know, to a very low total. And I think Ashley Gardner is a world class player. she's shown it in her whole career. And I think the IPL just validated that as well. But I think every match we've played against Australia, like I've said, it's always been a close match. And we also have match winners in our team as well. I think some of them just haven't fired yet and tomorrow might be the day.

[Reporter]

And final one from me, since ever since you toured India in early 2021, you've sort of grown into your role as the captain and with everything that has taken place around the team. How do you see your own evolution in this leadership role and with everything that you've achieved so far with by far your biggest game in this role ahead of you?

[Suné Luus]

Yeah, I think I'm obviously still growing into the role of being the official captain. It's only been a couple of weeks now, but it's very exciting for me. And I think having to take on a World Cup in a side like Australia, I think that's the moment you live for. And I can be the first South African captain to do that. And I think that's very exciting. But no, I think I'm still growing into the role and it's very exciting just to know that there's still a lot of things that I need to learn and can learn. And I think playing against a team like Australia, I think there's just so many things that you can take from that team afterwards and that you can learn and grow from.