18 March - Tauranga - West Indies player Hayley Matthews post-match press conference
Reporter: I just wanted to ask about your personal performance in the last six to eight months. How well you're being trained in all three departments. How do you look at your own personal form with both bat and ball in the last six to eight months, how well you have been doing?
Hayley: Yeah, I think over the last couple of months I've been working really hard on a lot of different aspects of my game, would have been batting at five for the last couple of months but yeah, gave me the opportunity to open here at the World Cup which has been going pretty good for me and coming into that role even more now as all-rounder with my role with the ball, obviously, the team trusts me quite a bit, Stefanie trusts me a lot with ball in hand and that's been really good. So yeah, just continuously trying to improve every aspect of my game.
Reporter: I wanted to also ask about your off spin - at the moment you are right up there on the top off spinners in the world up with Frankie McKay and probably the most economical spinners going around in the powerplay - your thoughts on your off spin bowling and any specifics that you have worked with in the recent past?
Hayley: I think over the last maybe year or so, I was able to understand a lot more about bowling off spin, I was required in certain situations, working on my technique as well. Getting my hand coming from a bit higher, trying to get as many reps on the ball as possible. I think what's been most important for me has been the fact that I've probably been able to control where I'm pitching the ball a lot more. Yeah, as a as a tall girl it’s definitely helped me to be able to get a bit of turn with it as well which has been really good.
Reporter: What's the latest on Jannillia? At the moment?
Hayley: Yeah, well, we're not exactly sure why she went down. But at the same time, we know she's a strong girl and we're expecting her to obviously make a recovery and yeah, just keeping our fingers crossed for the best.
Reporter: And just quickly on at the end of the first innings What did you kind of make of the total you guys put up on the board? I know you were quite measured in your start with the bat - almost as if you guys knew that the wicket was quite tricky to bat on and a low score might have been defendable. What was the chat?
Hayley: Yeah, I think just looking at it everyone were pretty much no, we didn't get enough runs on the board. Definitely need to be doing better in that aspect. But at the same time - Yeah, I think taking the wickets knowing that it was quite slow, was holding a bit of turn in it. We knew that we could have gone out there and defended the runs once you bowled the right areas. Keeping the stumps in play was very, very important. And yeah, I think we managed to do that quite well. But at the same time, we're definitely going to need to do better with the bat if we're going to have any chance at this World Cup.
Reporter: I just wanted to confirm that Shamilia is really still with the group or is she gone to the hospital?
Hayley: I'm not actually sure, I came off the field and came straight here. Pretty much
Reporter: I'm looking at the match. I think Fletcher has come into the side and taken 3 for 29 and we saw her celebration. Can you just talk through what her impact she's had but also the sacrifices she's made to be here?
Hayley: Yes, brilliant. When you look at women in sport, and nowadays, you see so many changes happening and it's been fantastic that she's been able to go become a mother and come back in it speaks for her dedication, at her age being probably 30 something at this point. So it's fantastic that it's becoming more of a regular happenstance that we can leave the game and give birth and be able to come back to it knowing that they have that support around there and its brilliant to have her back. We saw today the type of class player that she is and yeah, we only expect good things from her going forward as always.
Reporter: What was the conversation after losing 7 wickets for 70 runs and score 140 - Did you believe that it is possible to beat Bangladesh - What did you think what's wrong with Bangladesh batting?
Hayley: Yeah, I think throughout the entire innings we knew that after we lost the early wickets either Chedean Nation or Shemaine were going to be key to us getting a proper total on the board. Thankfully, for us Shemaine Campbell, was able to do that and yeah, I think with the wicket that was out there. Obviously a bit slower and low - the amount of spinners that we have in our attack. We knew that once we were able to probably get - I was calling for over 150 - We would have had a shot at once we bowled properly.
Reporter: Is there an moment when you think that you can lose the match?
Hayley: I mean, of course, like going out there, you know that it's not just going to be a walk in the park. You got to fight every single time but that's the spirit that we've showed every time we've gone out to play this entire tournament. Every one of our games have been close, And yeah, we just try not to think of what the result at the end of the day just kind of take it one ball at a time, one over at a time and yeah, let the game to take us wherever it does and yeah, it's just really good that we're able to get the win again. It just shows the fight that we have within a team and the courage and the experience within the team as well.
Reporter: We saw you take the new ball today. So what was the chat in the break that prompted the move? Was it something to do with Anisa’s absence or what was that about - the talk in the break and what prompted you to take the new ball?
Hayley: I think looking at the wicket we saw how well their spinners bowled- the conditions definitely suited spin. So we figured that if we can get a spinner in there as early as possible, it will be really helpful and hopefully pick up some early wickets and yeah, I'm just the one that the team went for and it worked out pretty well.
Reporter: Tell us about Shemaine Campbell a bit more because we thought that at various points that she's struggling with the bat, a lot of dot balls etc. But there she was taking you to 140 So what was going through your mind in the dressing room when she was batting struggling not getting runs and then started getting them towards the end?
Hayley: I think at that point, we really needed our batters to just stand up and I think she did that really well. Yeah, she's the type of player that can definitely catch up in the end and get the runs towards the end of her innings. I think she realized what was most important and that was her spending some time on the crease and she did exactly that. Of course some people will say the strike rate was a bit low but at the same time we were in a bit of a trouble position. So yeah, I think she just did what we needed to do and the other players have helped her out there.
Reporter: One of the things that has stood out about you throughout your career is just kind of the way you play the game with a real sense of enjoyment a smile on your face. How have you maintained that I suppose a childlike enthusiasm over the years in what’s obviously a really high pressure environment at the international level, especially when things haven't quite gone your way? How do you maintain that enthusiasm?
Hayley: I think it kind of comes down to remembering why you started I started playing cricket personally, as a kid for the fun of it and every time I go there, I try to play it with that same enthusiasm and that same spirit. I think as a West Indian team and within our culture, we play our best cricket when we're enjoying ourselves out there and really rallying behind each other and yeah, we try not to change that as much as possible. And yeah like I said, for me, it's just really about going out there and having fun each and every time I try to play and I think that's when I perform best.
Reporter: Just a word on the entire spin group and what kind of discussions were you having through the game about your plans and what was working and specifically were you having any conversations with someone like Karishma who didn't take a wicket but she played an important role?
Hayley: Yeah, definitely. I think maybe in the first spinner to bowl on the wicket. I was probably the one to do most of the assessment and then obviously, clearly Karishma coming in, she has so much control with the ball. And yeah, she came to me for a bit of advice and I pretty much said we just have to kind of keep hitting stumps. The ball wasn't turning massively, but one or two were so if we could pitch the ball anywhere around for stump or on off stump and get the natural variation from there it was going to work pretty well. She's a class player. You saw her spell -she did not get any wicket like you said but she did exactly what we needed a time, bowled her 10 overs for I think 15 runs which is brilliant in a pressured situation like that. And yeah that is someone you need in the team. And then from the other end, Fletcher in her first game at the World Cup and it was brilliant to see her coming with her variations with so much control as well, able to pick up crucial wickets.
Reporter: I just wanted to know whether Anisa and Shakera were available for selection and
Hayley: As far as I know, I think everyone's available for selection.
Reporter: Stefanie bowled a full 10 over spell today after a really long time. And when the pitch is tiring, and spinners like being required to bowl a lot more as the tournament goes on, how big of a positive is that and her spell today?
Hayley: Yes, Really good to see. obviously, Staf as you see she reached a milestone today of 150 International wickets which just shows the class that she has as a spinner. Yeah, so I mean, this is wonderful to have her and it just shows that even when she doesn't contribute with the bat, she still has so much to offer, and not only as a captain, but as a bowler as well.