25 February - Cape Town - Australia Captain Meg Lanning pre-match press conference

[Reporter]

The fact that it's South Africa in the final, does that put any more pressure on you guys as being expected to win or do you think more pressure on them as home nation?

[Meg Lanning]

Oh, I think there's pressure on everyone, it's a World Cup final, there's no guarantees and it's about what happens on the day. South Africa obviously are playing really good cricket, you know once you get to a World Cup final you've obviously beaten some good teams and you're playing well so that's what we're expecting tomorrow, we're expecting them to come out and play to their full strength and they're riding a wave of emotion as well so we're certainly prepared for that but yeah heading into a World Cup final there's pressure on everybody and you know it's about executing as best you can at the time.

[Reporter]

Meg, you guys obviously had the crowd on your side three years ago, but the team did have recent experience in India of having a very loud crowd against them, do you think that'll help some of the other players tomorrow with a huge crowd expected here?

[Meg Lanning]

Yeah, I think so, it's something we I guess have experienced a little bit before and from all reports the game last night had an incredible atmosphere and the crowd was certainly cheering for the home team as you'd expect here, so we're coming here prepared for that tomorrow. We know we're probably not going to be the team that everyone's cheering for but that's fine, you know it's going to be an incredible atmosphere and an incredible game at an amazing venue - so we're pumped, we can't wait to get out here and play and no doubt it's going to be a great contest.

[Reporter]

Meg just South Africa's not much about playing World Cup finals but the rivalry between Australia and South Africa in all sports is just massive, can you just touch on that in terms of the rivalry between the two nations?

[Meg Lanning]

Yeah absolutely, we've played some really close games between each other over the years, we've come out on top but we've been pushed a long way and as I said we're expecting a really tight contest tomorrow and we know them really well as they do us you know we've played alongside some of their players too in various competitions, so there's nowhere to hide, everybody knows sort of what's coming up and it's just about holding your nerve under the pressure of a World Cup final and whoever does that the best will get the result but yeah, I can't wait to get out there it's going to be a pretty special contest and it's certainly going to be a pretty hardly fought game.

[Reporter]

So as Australia, the five-time champions, almost an invincible side, can you talk us through the difference of pressure when it comes to playing league matches, semi-final and the big final because you have done it all?

[Meg Lanning]

I think for us it's just about focusing on what we do well and a lot of the time it is just doing the basics and the simple things well over the course of the game, that's what happened in the semi-final, you had to do the basics well and do it over the 20 overs and we were able to do that in the important moments and tomorrow will be no different. Some players will have a good day, some players it won't be their day but when it's your moment to stand up and shine and play to your strengths and that's what we want our players to do and we've done it before but we have to go out there and do it again, that's really what's facing us so we're looking forward to that. We've spoken a lot about playing our way and making sure when the pressure's on and push comes to shove that we do the basics extremely well.

[Reporter]

I know you guys are just consistently evolving but with Shelly taking over as head coach has there been much of a change in manager or mindset from your point of view?

[Meg Lanning]

I think most of it has been very similar, we've got a very experienced group of players here who are very driven to keep getting better but also understand their games really well and sort of what it takes in World Cup tournaments. I guess we've been to a few now most of us which certainly helps. Shelly's been great, she's brought a couple of new things to the group and freshened it up which I think was really important to keep us moving forward and I think we've settled into that sort of combination of Shelly and myself leading the team so it's been a lot of fun, it's a good mix of being relaxed but also being a little bit nervous about what we're heading into, there's a big game, but pretty excited about what's coming up so the team's in a good spot, the players, we know our strengths and weaknesses and what we need to do and now it's just about going out there, enjoying the experience, embracing it and making the most of the opportunity.

[Reporter]

Just wanted to ask, this is your sixth World Cup final across formats as captain, so how much does doing it again and again, that familiarity of it helps for the group to know what you could do, what you want to do, what you should do when you come to the final game?

[Meg Lanning]

I think having been put in pressure situations before helps, I think you learn a lot in those times and we learn a lot from the semi-final where we were under the pump a fair bit and I guess it just reiterated to us that you have to stay in the game and you have to be ready to take your chances when you get them and we were able to do that the other day, we need to make sure we're ready to do that again today but there's going to be moments when South Africa will be on top, they'll have the momentum, the crowd will be on their side and we accept that and we understand that that's going to happen but when we get the chance to really put our footprint on the game and play the way that we want, we have to make sure that we do that because that's how we're going to win the game - so I think just knowing that you're going to be under the pump at certain points, that's fine, that's the nature of T20 cricket, other teams are going to come hard and absorbing that pressure and then when you get the opportunity, you really push back hard.

[Reporter]

It's going to be the same pitch as the semi-finals and we've seen how the bases from both sides have performed. What are your thoughts on Shabnim Ismail, Kaka, Marizanne Kapp, they went about their business yesterday and also your observations on your own pace attack and do you think pace is where or pace attack is what is going to differentiate who ends up on the winning side or not?

[Meg Lanning]

Yeah, no doubt their pace attack is right up there with the best in the world, they've got some world-class players and they showed the other day how effective they can be, it's their home conditions, they understand them really well and what works and what doesn't. So we've spoken a little about them and how we think they're going to bowl and how we're going to combat that - so we feel confident in our planning but we have to go out there and adjust and execute as best we can and from a bowling point of view, I think we've got a little bit of improvement in us from the semi-final, again, we know the conditions now and what works and our bowling group has been fantastic throughout the whole tournament so we're planned and we're ready to execute as best we can and I feel like if we can do that then I have full belief that we'll be able to get the job done.

[Reporter]

Yesterday Shabnim Ismail said that she thinks Australia overall in World Cups haven't really been put under a lot of pressure and you mentioned the semi-final as one instance but overall, I mean, are there any others that stand out for you where you really felt under the pump?

[Meg Lanning]

I think we're under a bit of pressure, last World Cup at home, the first couple of games, I would have thought that was a little bit of pressure to work through so yeah, that's observations, I'm not really sure but yeah, we always feel like there's pressure at World Cups and you have to be able to hold your nerve and make sure you execute under pressure and I think we've been able to do that really well and what that looks like to the outside, I'm not sure but we focus on what we can do and trying to execute our plans as best we can and teams are coming really hard at us, there's not much margin between the best teams now and we know that we have to play extremely well to win and tomorrow is no different, South Africa are on a high, they're playing really well, they've got world class players and they're coming out here, it's a new experience for them being in the World Cup final and sometimes that can be a good thing. So, we're very aware of the threat that they pose and we have to play well and that's what we're focusing on doing.

[Reporter]

Maybe there was a time maybe six months ago where you weren't sure you'd be at this World Cup, what does it mean to you to be here now and to have the chance to lead Australia in another World Cup final?

[Meg Lanning]

It's really exciting, I can't wait to get out and play, these are the games that you want to be involved in and yeah, it's just an exciting time for the team, World Cup finals, you have to make the most of them, you never know when your next chance might be so yeah, I'm staying sort of super relaxed, enjoying the opportunity, really embracing it and everything that comes with it and yeah, I can't wait to get out here and play in front of hopefully an packed crowd, whether they're cheering for us or not, it doesn't really matter, it's just going to be an incredible atmosphere and event and yeah, just can't wait to get out there. Captain, you talked about the home crowd and probably they are going to support their home team, so how tricky does it become for the opposition team when the entire 15-16,000 crowd is chanting for your opposition?

[Meg Lanning]

I think we just embrace it, but yeah, you naturally expect everybody to be going for South Africa, it's their Home World Cup and they deserve their opportunity to play off in the finals, so we know sort of what we're up against and we'll have to make sure we focus on what we can control and as I said, we spoke a little bit about just embracing the fact that that's the way it could be and I think in the past, we've always dealt really well with situations like this, just focusing on what we can control and what we're doing and taking it all in, it's not scary, it's not something we're not looking forward to, we're actually really pumped to get out here and play at an incredible venue, it's one of my favourite places I've been to, so we're just looking to go out there, play our way and hopefully we can get the job done.

[Reporter]

Meg, in the semi-finals, fielding sort of became the factor that decided who ended up on the winning side, South Africa were quite outstanding in the field yesterday, but in the semi-final, Australia did drop a few chances. Going into the final, what is the talk in the changing room like, what do you as the captain say to your team and what does Shelley tell the team in terms of how important fielding is and what to keep in mind, the do's and don'ts in a pressure match like this?

[Meg Lanning]

We know that fielding plays an important role and it's something we talk about a lot and we feel like we've got a little bit of an advantage in some ways in terms of our athleticism and the way that we can move in the field and get to balls, that might be a little bit too far away sometimes, so that's something we speak about a lot and I think we were pretty good in the field the other day, obviously missed a few chances, that happens, but we haven't spoken about anything different to what we always speak about, it's just doing the simple things really well and focusing on what your role is at the time and we've had a little bit of a chance to see what the conditions are, it's pretty breezy out there, the sun sort of comes into, becomes a factor as well in the second inning, so it's just sort of working out your best method individually, what that is for you and then trusting yourself and I've said this before but I've got full belief in our team to be able to execute under pressure when we need to and that's what we'll aim to do tomorrow.

[Reporter]

Hey Meg, obviously thinking back to 2020 when you guys were on the bus to the SCG looking at the rain coming in, not sure if you're getting on, same with the other night when you're looking on at Harmanpreet and Jemimah's innings, I mean obviously you guys have got this formidable record at World Cups but do you take a second to realise just how close you've been to kind of missing these two World Cup finals as well and how special it is that you have been able to make it?

[Meg Lanning]

Yeah, we spoke a little bit after the semi-final the other night and we were under the pump and India probably looked like winning for a lot of that game but we found a way to win and that's what this team is really good at is sticking together, we've got each other's back. And you know, whether it's going well, or it's not going well, I think we're able to stay really calm and composed. And as I said, look after each other. And that's an important thing that you need in big games. And yeah, we haven't had it all our own way over the past few years, and particularly at World Cups, and even in this World Cup here. So, we have some really great fighting ability within this team. And we're going to need it again tomorrow to be able to beat South Africa, because they're going to bring the same energy. So yeah, as a group, you know, we, we always, you know, treasure these, these games that we get to play in, because you never know, you know, if you're going to get back here again. So that's the way we're treating it. And we're excited about the opportunity to go out there and have the chance to win again. But as I said, nothing's guaranteed. And we have to play well. And we look forward to that challenge.

[Reporter]

We often see when there's a close semi-final in a World Cup, the team that gets through can kind of have already played their final. But in this case, you've had two really close semi-finals. How do you go about making sure that that doesn't happen to your team? And Hilton, the South African coach just said, whoever wants it more is going to come away with the trophy. Do you want it more?

[Meg Lanning]

I think it'd be pretty even in terms of how, you know, how much each team wants to win. Yeah, there's no doubt about that. You know, we're both the same, we want to win the World Cup, as much as South Africa does. So, I personally think it comes down to holding your nerve under pressure and executing your skills as best you can, when the pressure's on. And that's, that's where it's going to be decided. Yeah, the two semi-finals were incredible games. You know, some high heart rates out there, I think, both on the field and off the field, and would have been some incredible viewing for the fans out there. And hopefully it's the same again tomorrow. We're expecting a very close game. And yeah, there's going to be moments of momentum with us and with South Africa as well. And it's just about riding those waves. And then when you get the opportunity to really put the foot down, then, you know, we need to make sure we're ready to take that.