25 February - Cape Town - South Africa Captain Sune Luus and Coach Hilton Moreeng pre-match press conference
[Reporter]
Before the tournament you spoke about this being more than just cricket and how you guys are done without a ball even being bowled – many balls have been bowled now and you’ve done a lot more. Can you put into words the significance of this on and off field?
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, it's been an amazing tournament so far, I think on and off the field I think, as far as cricket is concerned, we achieving our goals that we want to, that’s awesome. And as far as off the field things go, we’re also doing the job we wanted to do. I think the goal for us was to inspire the nation and to get women's cricket in South Africa on the map and for young girls and boys to pick up their bat and ball and I guess just for women's sport in general in South Africa to be raised and to be on the map as well. So, I think in terms of that we definitely doing the job. Hopefully tomorrow can just be another steppingstone to that.
[Reporter]
And Hilton, 10 years as a national coach is a really long time. Can you describe the journey and the process of getting here what it's taken from you and what you hope happens next.
[Hilton Moreeng]
I can't pre-empt what's going to happen next, but it has been like you indicated a long tough journey. How the girls have grown and the team has grown in stature, but every competition, opportunity that they had to play, and they have shown the character that we knew they always had – we always came close. I think it was - actually fitting that it could happen on home soil and they like it did yesterday because I think we played England in England and you know what happened and it was tough but we knew there's a lot of youngsters still in the squad, they will get an opportunity one day and they'll grow from that, and they've learned and some of them when they were given an opportunity that you could see the nerves, they could hold their nerves. They understand what is it all about. So, for me, what I have seen over the years has been very, very encouraging to see and I'm blessed to be part of this, because like I always highlight. We have a very talented group of players, and it's good to see them put the performances together.
[Reporter]
I'm not sure if you saw there was a long line of people outside the stadium trying to buy tickets. And I'm sure you've seen the buzz all over the city and you hearing the positive energy come up - when you see that sort of thing, how does it make you feel.
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, I think that's a feeling you can't really put into words. I think it's something we never thought would happen in our country, you know people standing in queues to buy tickets for a women's cricket match. I think that's, just where we are as a country at the moment and that's where you know the women's sport is growing to and I think it's something very very special, and I'm hoping you know once this World Cup is finished and we play normal series and normal matches in South Africa, the crowd won't be any different, and the vibe and the positive energies will be the same.
[Reporter]
Coach, when it's such a short turnaround from a semi-final to a final, and you're trying to obviously celebrate such a momentous occasion but at the same time, flip the switch to prepare for the biggest day in South African cricket. Can you talk us through that.
[Hilton Moreeng]
It's not always easy. I think we mentioned it when we saw the fixtures, but it's one of those that you knew, okay just having a semi-final you need to be ready for this. Even with the series that we had back in East London. We tried to reciprocate that and see how we can work out the girls response. Now the most important to get everyone fresh again. Give them good recovery and make sure that from there, they can switch on again to be able to play cricket, because no one in the changing room needs motivation for tomorrow, they know what is at stake. And we have never had the opportunity. Now we have opportunity to be able to show what they can do - I think if you look at some of the - most of the semi-finals we played – we always came close - five runs seven runs here and we could never get it over the line. I think yesterday was very inspiring for all of us, and it's something that we always knew that we could do but we couldn't do on the day. And yesterday was just testament for us to make sure that each and every one is in the changing rooms motivated to come back tomorrow and try to do it again. We know we're playing against a tough opposition. But as history has it, that is just history - tomorrow it's a new day. So once again, whoever wants it most will have it tomorrow.
[Reporter]
Sune, you'll have the opportunity to do something tomorrow that no South African captain has ever done - spinning a coin in the World Cup final just the thought process about that when you stand out there looking at the Table Mountain tomorrow.
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, it's going to be a very special feeling. I think, like coach Hilton said - we've always known we have the ability and the skill to be in a final, I think it was just to get through that semi-final because as a whole country and the whole world's putting it but now it's going to be something special and I think no matter what happens tomorrow. It's going to be a special day for us.
[Reporter]
And as Hilton said about, you don't need to motivate anybody tomorrow they've got there - is it almost a case of just taking the decision like calming everybody down and making sure that we stay focused, we remain executing instead of actually getting that excited and then wanting to do different things that you normally do.
[Sune Luus]
Yesterday we spoke about it we said obviously it's a big occasion and everybody was hyped up and excited but I think we said before the game the team that's going to be the calmest will probably get on top and get over that finish line - so I think tomorrow it's going to be no different. Yes, we know the occasion, yes, we know everything that comes with the final win - and with the World Cup trophy in South Africa. But I think for us it's just to say as calm as possible, stay focused on what we do best and trust our skills and abilities and the result will take care of itself.
[Reporter]
And we’re spoken all about the time to play the trophy game and possibly got as close to as yesterday. Is the moral just about no matter how you get there - just getting one man more than the opposition.
[Sune Luus]
I think coach always says the team with the most runs win - I think it's as simple as that.
[Reporter]
You faced the Aussies earlier in this competition. It didn't go as well as you would have liked. What did you learn from that, that you guys feel that you must apply tomorrow to turn the result around?
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, I think obviously looking back at that game we were 20, 30, 40 runs short. We know they have a very strong batting line-up and they're batting extremely deep. So, I think for us tomorrow, whether we bat first or bowl first, we're going to have to put up a good fight. I think, game's not over till the last ball - we know they're going to keep fighting. We saw it in their semi-final against India. They’ve shown their class there. So, I think it’s for us to take it as deep as possible, whether we got 120 on the board or 190, I think just take it as deep as possible. And you just never know.
[Reporter]
Given pacers have had relatively more success on this pitch going by how the South African Pacers have performed 14 wickets to about eight wickets to spinners. What do you think is going to be the strength as far as countering Australia's batters are concerned? Do you think you'll go all guns blazing with pace as you've done so far or could there be surprises in the spin department?
[Sune Luus]
You know, I think obviously the pace attack is one of our strongest attacks and it's one of the strongest attacks in the world. I don't think we're going to take that away. Obviously, Australia knows they know what's coming. We know the batters that's coming. So, it's going to be - I think it's going to be a very even contest, you know, the best in the world facing the best in the world as well. So, we do have a strong spinning attack as well. So, I think it's just going to depend on the day - whose day it is and matchups as well. So, we'll take it from there.
[Reporter]
Just the fact that South Africa are playing a World Cup final for the first time across men's and women's cricket. The women's game doesn't enjoy the kind of profile men's cricket does here. What would you like to tell your country people about encouraging little girls to take up the sport? And I'd love to have the same thoughts from the coach as well.
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, I think obviously being in the final, I don't think we can do much more to show the country that women - that we are serious about women's cricket in this country. I don't think obviously winning the final would be the ultimate cherry on the top. But I think just to get into the final for us, I don't think the country needs more encouragement than that. I think there's a lot of good things that's already come out of this World Cup in this country. I think if you don't take women's cricket seriously now, then I guess there's no hope for whoever you are. So I think you kind of have to get on the train of women's cricket or I don't know, go play soccer or something.
[Hilton Moreeng]
What has been good is to see when you look in the crowds and who are the most in the crowds, you saw a lot of young girls, which has been very encouraging. They could identify now with the current team playing, the current players, so it will motivate them to be able to pick up bats and start playing cricket and they can see it as a career. And regarding that, I think Cricket South Africa is working hard around that pipeline and they're realizing now the impact that this has had. I mean, to host the World Cup at home, to see what other countries do, how they play. It's one - if it does not motivate our mother body, then we have challenges. But I think the penny has dropped now regarding where women's cricket is in the world and in the country as well. And I think tomorrow will be a - it should be a good game and a good adult women's cricket in our country to make sure to serve as a catalyst hopefully for young girls now to start coming to the pipeline.
[Reporter]
You've had quite an eventful stint as captain over the last couple of years, 18 months or so. Can you look back on this tournament and point out any moments in private when you went back, when you were all by yourself and thought, well, this looks like a challenging job but I need to pull myself up so that I can keep the team motivated. Can you walk us through any such moments of reckoning that you may have had in private when you really had to push yourself as captain so as to ensure that your team was motivated throughout the campaign?
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, I think the role of captaincy hasn't been easy over the last couple of years. Obviously, being a standing captain for however long that was, and to be given the official captain status just before the World Cup, I think it was always going to be difficult, filling the shoes of Dane. She's done an incredible job over the last couple of years, but I think where the game's going and the team we have at the moment, it's a very young squad and it was very exciting to see talent and players coming in. It's leading a new generation. I think players have come and gone and I think we're just looking forward and I think that's the one thing that's kept me going. I think it's just to know that there's always going to be backlash, there's always going to be people not wanting you in this position and I guess that's just sport and that's media and whatever people are going to say, but I think the results have spoken for itself and I think the team has stayed motivated no matter what distractions has come our way. So, I think just sticking together as a team and I think I have a great support system as well. The team's been backing me a hundred percent and I think more than that, I can't ask for. I think if you don't have a team and a management team supporting you, then you have challenges, but I think from my perspective and in my shoes, the team's been a hundred percent behind me, the management staff's been a hundred percent behind me and I think everyone outside that circle, their opinions and what they think doesn't really matter.
[Reporter]
Coach, Tazmin has played a bigger role in the South African team over the last six to twelve months, moving up the batting order, filling in the shoes of Lizelle Lee. What have you seen in the last six to twelve months that's really impressed you and what is it that you might have imparted or given advice to Tazmin in terms of sort of helping her game evolve to the next level?
[Hilton Moreeng]
Her character as a player. She's got a lot of self-belief; hardworking player and she's grown. I think once she's been given the role, in the beginning, like at this level, it doesn't just happen overnight. She needed to learn and adapt at this level and now she adapted and the way she's playing now, it's been years of hard work that finally got together in yesterday's game or in this tournament. I think we've been seeing the performances, even at practices and seeing, but we knew that what time those kind of performances on the day, I mean, yesterday she was just phenomenal on the field. I mean, the way she is, like I said, she fights till the end. She has the character and I think she's been exceptional, like I say - good talent to have and to manage in the squad.
[Reporter]
Coach, captain, both of you, this question is - Shabnim Ismail registered 128 KPH yesterday, the fastest recorded ball in women's history. Is she bowling the fastest and the best you have ever seen?
[Hilton Moreeng]
I must say I've seen some spells from Ismail and I've seen her bowl. Yesterday it was one of those when she was just fired up and I mean, I've worked with the player for a very long time. I've seen her come to age and growth and now what she's been showing, especially when we play teams against us on the high field, then it's a different ball game. But the majority in the player and we're just happy for us to be able to showcase a skill on our home ground in front of our family and friends. I think it's just special talent that we had and I think it's one of those we cherish in the changing room.
[Reporter]
And how does one defeat Australia, five-time champions, 19 wins in last 20 T20Is and undefeated in this tournament so far, so what are South Africa planning to defeat Australia?
[Hilton Moreeng]
That is just it, my friend. It's history, understand? Tomorrow, it's a one-off game. You can't be worrying about Australia and what they're doing.
[Reporter]
What are the areas that you expect not to defeat?
[Hilton Moreeng]
Come to our change room, then we can discuss it.
[Reporter]
Quite often we have seen in our teams where we look at teams and we say this is the captain's team like Lanning's Australia, Harman's India, Heather's England. Are we at a stage where we are seeing this is Sune's team, this is Sune Luus’s South Africa? Both of you, either one of us, whoever could answer that by any, Sune, at some point, whenever you have felt like this is my team, like as a captain, this is Sune's South Africa, are we at a stage of anyone, both of you, anyone you could answer that?
[Hilton Moreeng]
As Sune, it's been our captain's team until the end of the season and we'll review past this and to make sure we're going forward, our structure is going forward. I think for us, she's done an exceptional job and like I said, she took it with both hands and she led the team with a great distinction, so as we're happy with what we're seeing in her as a leader and then she's grown in that stature. I think now for us is to focus on the last game tomorrow and then we can take it from there. Once we know, you will know.
[Reporter]
You have an incredible bowling line-up with Marizanne, Shabnim and Marizanne has a habit of doing it in finals, so do you think she can do it again tomorrow?
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, of course. I think she's a player with the big match temperament you want in your big players. I think she's been a senior player for almost years and there's no difference tomorrow, so I think she loves the big occasions and I think she'll definitely step up again tomorrow.
[Reporter]
You talked about Marizanne, Shabnim and for instance, Nadine has been excellent. She did that in 2020 semi-finals, how do you look at her as a performer in clutch situations?
[Sune Luus]
I think she wears her heart on her sleeve. I think there's no game that I've seen her play that she hasn't give 110%. I think she'll enjoy the moment tomorrow. I think she also lives for those moments and she loves the crowd being behind her. I think she thrives on that, so I think tomorrow's going to be a special day for her and I think no matter what happens, we've seen the growth in her over the last couple of months and she's a very, very exciting player for us.
[Reporter]
You spoke a lot about your team and less about yourself, which speaks volume about your character, but on a personal one, you have an opportunity to lead your country to a history-making World Cup. Would you say this is your proudest moment in your career?
[Sune Luus]
100%. I think, like we said, I think no South African captain has done it before and I think it hasn't really sunk in yet. I think I've been - I got a lot of messages last night and over the course of the day and I think it's starting to sink in and every time I open my phone, I just get more emotional every time I see a message. I think, no matter what happens tomorrow, I feel extremely proud and I'm so proud of the team and, you know, the management team and what we've done. So, it's been an incredible journey and an incredible tournament.
[Reporter]
Hilton, in the pool stages, there was a lot being said about being able to absorb pressure, especially hosting a tournament of this magnitude, but now you face Australia ranked much higher in the final. Do you feel the pressure will be going into the game with a so-called nothing to lose mentality?
[Hilton Moreeng]
No, the pressure will always be there. When you play at this level, irrespective of who you open inside, there's always pressure. I think at the end of the day, the team needs to focus on what we need to do and we understand the occasion, we understand what is coming. I think at the end of the day, like I said, the team that wants it most tomorrow is the one that's going to be end up on top. I think for us, it's just a focus on what we can do best - both teams have played now on this ground. So, we can know what is happening. So, it should be a good game of cricket tomorrow.
[Reporter]
In the last two games, your openers have given you a superb start, which has played a huge role in your last two wins. So, do you think this opening partnership between Laura and Tazmin will be crucial for tomorrow's final as well?
[Sune Luus]
Yeah, I definitely hope so. I think they're finding their stride and their confidence at the right time. I think there's been a lot of talk of whether we want to put them in the middle order or whether the middle order has to go up the order and so forth. But I think they've shown their class and they've proven a lot of people wrong. And I think they have the confidence at the moment to just go out tomorrow, play their game and hopefully get us off to a good start again.