24 March - Wellington - Australia player Jess Jonassen pre-match press conference
Reporter: First of all, I don’t know what you like as physio therapist, but how’s Pez?
Jess Jonassen: Yeah, I actually don't know how she is. I think I've seen her walking around the streets getting some coffees over the last few days, yeah, I'm pretty sure the medical team is sort of on top of that, but yeah, she seems in good enough spirits, but I think a call based on her participation in games coming up will be made sort of, as each day sort of comes and yeah, sort of a day by day basis.
Reporter: When you were left out of the side earlier in the tournament, were you dropped or managed or rested?
Jess: Yeah, well, it was sort of a matchup based thing that they decided to go with the two leg spinners and yeah, basically a matchup based on leg spin versus the New Zealand batters and yeah, I guess you could probably say I was omitted on that basis. Either way, yeah. Sort of being left out was not really ideal and yeah, so was a bit of a tough time, but we all know within this squad that some tough decisions need to be made at different times when we've got such a strong squad over here.
Reporter: Obviously there's a big buildup of this tournament and you got through six games undefeated, we’re closer to the pointy end now - you guys starting to feel that sense that sort of you're really at the business end of the tournament now.
Jess: Yeah, we are. It's something that we've sort of, we've identified throughout the whole tournament so far that we're building towards this, I guess business end of the tournament that we’re still - I see Ash Gardner and Meg comment the other day that we're looking for the perfect game, but ultimately, we're just looking to improve each and every game in different areas and we do have a bit to improve on still with the ball I guess. Yeah, obviously against South Africa we weren't able to take wickets up front but we were able to hold them and yeah, sort of just needing to tighten up in a few areas, which I think is really exciting considering we've gone through undefeated whilst still identifying areas that we can improve on
Reporter: And those two massive run chases against obviously, you know, your potential challenges for your final against India first and South Africa, what does that do for the confidence in the group because, you know, you chase those down, you probably going to come across those teams again. So what does that do?
Jess: Yeah, it's huge, particularly for our batting group. We sort of known as a bowling group, sort of at the halfway mark, that we didn't really execute in some areas, but then also identifying how good of a batting wicket it was and yeah, it was a really pleasing thing for our batting group to be able to go out and put a marker out there and I guess, make a statement that obviously the Indian game got a bit closer than we would have liked. But then yeah, the way that the likes of Meg Lanning went about the run chase - we know she's almost the queen of run chases. Her stats don't lie. And yeah, it was just incredible for her particularly, as well as all the other batters to be able to chip in in and around her, particularly coming into - yeah, obviously our last round game and then the finals. That yeah, hopefully that gives them even more confidence in higher pressure games.
Reporter: And just sort of one non World Cup question, did your eyes light up a little bit yesterday when you heard that your former Brisbane Heat teammate Ash Barty might be available to play cricket again, and what are your thoughts on that?
Jess: Yeah, I mean, I was a pretty shocked and pretty sad to read the news. I thought it was a bit of a joke initially, but I think that was something that Ash was always good at, that she played to the beat of her own drum and she was never out there for being in the spotlight or getting all the glory she just wanted to achieve certain goals and feeling like she's done that, that she now has other goals and we'll see. Yeah, she's engaged now. as well and family is a really big thing for her. So wouldn't surprise me if that was the main driver to be able to spend a lot more time with family and I mean, there's going to be a number of different sporting codes, I can guarantee that - but yeah, I think she deserves a well-earned break for the next little while.
Reporter: You think you might still be down the tracks end and taking message and just find out what she's thinking or would you obviously welcome her back to the Heat if she put her hand up?
Jess: Yeah, well, to be fair, we'll have a back in and around the Heat in any capacity, whether that's on the playing field or in a mentor type role. She's an incredible athlete and incredible person and yeah, she's somebody that any sporting team or any team in general will be very lucky to have her around in whatever capacity that may be.
Reporter: Going back to the stuff about selection, Australia made changes to the bowling attack every single game. How as a group do you guys manage that and how do you personally prepare yourself for whatever might happen because I know you've talked about finding it difficult being on the sidelines of past World Cups.
Jess: Yeah, I think it's different for each person. But we've had sort of role clarity meetings at the start of this tournament and I guess prior to this tournament in the Ashes as well that players were really, I guess, being able to give in a clear direction as to what their role is going to be over this next period of time and we know as a group and as a squad that it doesn't take a team to win a championship or tournament, it takes the whole squad and I think we've only had one player and Grace Harris not take the field just yet. That yeah, it sort of bodes well for us as a whole group that we've been able to get each and every player some match time and yeah, it is challenging as a player sometimes being left out because everybody comes over here to play, everybody trains to play and be out on the field but equally we have a greater understanding and a bigger picture sort of vision and that sort of -yeah, what we do going forward and how we sort of approach it.
Reporter: And just looking ahead to tomorrow. You've never played Bangladesh in an ODI and I think you've only played one T20 against them. How do you go about preparing to play a side who you don't come up against in domestic leagues or anything?
Jess: Yeah, it's really exciting. It's exciting for them to be a part of their first 50-over World Cup and I mean, for me personally, I'm a bit of a cricket snuff. So I've been watching almost every game of the World Cup and I think yeah, I've taken a bit from that. And we have different sort of small group planning meetings, based on our specialty within the squad and so we use that as some information gathering and information sharing as well. And I think 50-over cricket, it allows you to sort of adapt on the run a little bit as well. And yeah, it's sort of not like the T20 game where it's almost been in gone before you can blink and yeah, it's going to be an exciting challenge and something that we're really looking forward to tomorrow.