27 October - Dharamsala - New Zealand Captain Tom Latham pre-match press conference
[Reporter:]
It's been five days since you've last played an international game of cricket. Any thoughts on what's an ideal gap that you should have between ODIs and especially in a World Cup like this?
[Tom Latham:]
I guess there's no perfect scenario. I think if you look at our games throughout this tournament, we've had some shorter breaks. We've had some slightly bigger gaps. But I guess when you come to the middle of the tournament or towards the back end of the tournament, I think it's making sure guys are fresh and ready to go. And sometimes those longer breaks can come at a perfect time. So, I guess that's something that's out of our control. Ideally, a few more than a couple of days, but yeah, we're ready to go. We've obviously had a few days here, staying here, which has been great. And yeah, boys are looking forward to get going tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
Awesome and just the day game starting at 10.30 in the morning - does it kind of nullify the advantage of a toss because it takes dew out of the equation and does it change your planning strategising in any way?
[Tom Latham:]
I guess a little bit and I think if we look at the other night it probably didn't dew up as much as we potentially thought and we've probably seen that in a couple of our games where we're expecting dew to come in and it didn't actually hurt as much as what we would have thought.
So, for us it's about trying to plan as best as we can and prepare as best we can and prepare for all scenarios- if in the morning if it does a little bit, or in the evening if it does start to spend a little bit more so for us it's just being prepared for every situation.
[Reporter:]
Last one from me, we saw that the team visited His Holiness the Dalai Lama at his residence. Can you talk to us a bit about that visit and whether there were any field placings discussed with him?
[Tom Latham:]
No, certainly no field placements. But yeah, it was obviously a cool experience for the group to head up there and obviously meet the Dalai Lama and I guess in this situation where we had a few days off and the opportunity being so close, it obviously came up and it was obviously a really special time heading up there and having a look around the monastery and what not, so yeah, I think everyone that went obviously will look back and I'm sure in years to come will think this was obviously an amazing experience.
[Reporter:]
Tom so much of history associated with Australia - New Zealand games especially at World Cups so many classic games your thoughts ahead of this game you know special occasion to meet Australia every time at a World Cup?
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, I think any time we play Australia, it's obviously the trans-Tasman rivalry which is really special and I think that's not just cricket that's obviously fit for all sports and even in the World Cup and over here in India obviously a long way from home it's another special occasion.
I'm sure both teams will be really excited to get into things and we haven't played them last year and we haven't played them for a while since then. So again, making sure we plan and prepare as best we can. And if we do that, then hopefully we'll give ourselves a good chance of backing into the game.
[Reporter:]
So, a couple of the fans who visited the previous game from Wellington, so we spoke to them and they were kind of like even though Australia haven't started off, they can see them coming behind their back. And now both the teams find themselves just a position away from each other. How do you see this team coming back into the tournament in Australia? Of course, they're coming on the back of a big win in Delhi.
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, they're obviously playing some fantastic cricket at the moment. As you said, they didn't probably start as well as they would have liked, but I think the form they've shown in probably the last three games is - that's obviously the Australia that we know. You know, they obviously fight, till the end pretty much every time and I guess every time we play each other it's always a challenge and I guess they're a quality side, they're one of the best sides in the world for a reason and you certainly can't take them lightly.
I think we've shown throughout this tournament that we've seen plenty of teams that on their given day can beat anyone. So, and Australia are no different. So, we're expecting them to be at their best and hopefully we can play well as well and hopefully be a great game.
[Reporter:]
So, continuing to this that Australia already gained momentum of victory last time. You have already experienced this ground and it is very new for Australia. Do you have any change in strategy?
[Tom Latham:]
No, I don't think so. Obviously, it's a day game so whether that changes things or not from a conditions point of view, that's probably the only difference. But I think playing here obviously gives you a little bit of an advantage, obviously understanding conditions a little bit more and what the surface potentially may be like.
It's obviously hard to know what that will be until you get into the game. So, for us, as I've said, being prepared and trying to adapt as best you can is sort of what we've been about this tournament. And I feel like we've done that reasonably well, pretty quickly as being able to adapt to each surface. So again, tomorrow is another opportunity for us to try to stand up and do that as quick as we can. And if we can do that well, quickly enough, then hopefully that will put us on the front foot.
[Reporter:]
Just wanted to ask you about Mitchell Santner. Like, for those who don't watch New Zealand that much, they kind of might have been surprised by how well he's gone at this World Cup. I mean, have you guys been surprised by how effective he is? And kind of given Australia struggled a bit against left arm spin at different points, how important is he tomorrow?
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, we certainly haven't been surprised at all and we've seen the work that he's put in day in day out and I think the performances that he's had in the one-day game but also in the T20 game he's had many experiences over here and the IPL for a few years now so understand I guess what he brings and obviously conditions back home obviously don't suit spin as much.
I guess seeing him come here and apply his skill and do what he's pretty much done for us for a long period of time, and I guess it's nice for him to get a few rewards for, I guess, the hard work that he's put in. So, he's obviously been a valued member of the side for a long time and I guess he's able to bowl in every situation, whether that be at the top in the first 10, through the middle and obviously at the back end.
So, he's very adaptable for us, which is great. And I guess someone that can spin the ball on pretty much any surface is really I guess vital and when it is turning, he can obviously get plenty of turn which is great. Again, another great opportunity for him tomorrow and hopefully he can stand up again.
[Reporter:]
Other than Kane (Williamson) is everyone available for selection tomorrow and are you expecting to make any changes?
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, obviously Kane's still a work in progress with his thumb. But we'll obviously have a quick look at the surface to that training at some point, and then obviously make a decision on what the 11 looks like.
[Reporter:]
Just in a long tournament like this, when you're playing every team once, do you kind of keep one eye on what, say, in Australia or the bigger teams are doing? Or do you just get to it like when maybe you would have just started your analysis and all of that just three days in? Because I'm guessing it's also not possible to watch everything that happens.
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, well, for me, I watch certainly every game. It's on the TV. But yeah, I think you obviously see the games that are going on and you see some of the performances that have been put on the park and I think for us we've just been trying to take each game at a time. It's probably been our biggest thing and every game's worth two points so every game is just as important as the next and once we do come up against a team, we obviously go through our same preparation that we usually do in terms of scouting and I guess understanding how teams are going and what they're going to bring to the table.
So again, Australia's been no different. We've seen them obviously perform well in the last couple of games. So just understanding how they're going to operate and hopefully we can counteract that as best we can.
[Reporter:]
And just about your own batting position. You've batted at 4-5 for quite a few years in one day cricket, but has it changed in the last 18 months, with the field changes and You see different kinds of batters being used, like disruptors. Even Australia brought in Josh Inglis or Alex Carey. So, has that changed your role much at all, or even how you go about it?
[Tom Latham:]
I don't think so. Not from a middle order point of view, I think batting in the middle order, for me, it's about trying to be adaptable as much as you can. You could be in it 30 for 3 or you could be in it 200 for 3, so you've got to adapt the way that you play as best you can. I guess that's something about the middle order, you just don't know what situation you're going to be in.
So, I guess trying to plan for all situations and just trying to read the way you need to play in that situation, whether you're batting with someone that's, I guess, a set batter or whether there's two new guys. So, I was just trying to gauge that as best you can and understand your blueprint as a team, how you guys want to operate.
So, yeah, we've obviously seen throughout this tournament, guys in the middle order have been obviously getting on with it, but I think that's sort of the situation that they've been in has allowed them to do that.
So, yeah, I guess just, as I said, just trying to be adaptable as best you can you know probably the most important thing for me
[Reporter:]
New Zealand always playing with noble way, and they have I think more patience while they have pressure. They are playing very well this Australia is also a strong team, and they are playing with aggression. What is your strategy about next match?
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, obviously, every team poses different threats throughout a one-day game. Obviously, some teams come slightly harder. Some teams play it slightly differently. So, for us, it's just about reading what's in front of us and trying to play that accordingly you know on the other hand we have the way that we want to operate as best we can towards our plan over a game, whether that be with a bat or ball.
So, trying to be clear on how we want to operate has been the biggest thing for us this tournament and if we're able to do that then then hopefully that will give ourselves a good chance I guess at the back end of the game and if we look back to our last game you know we did we did a lot of things right and obviously we didn't quite come out on the right side but you know we took a lot a lot of positives from that game.
So, if we're able to perform in the same way, then I'm sure we'll give ourselves a good chance being in those situations.
[Reporter:]
Tom, since you said that you watch every game, I'm going to ask you one last question.
[Tom Latham:]
Not every ball – but -
[Reporter:]
Are you surprised at the way this tournament's gone? I mean, you and India are the only two teams who've maintained kind of the same level at which you're playing. The other teams have had good days, have had bad days. Does that surprise you at all, the difference in the win and loss margins kind of situation in this tournament?
[Tom Latham:]
Yeah, I guess it just shows that anyone can beat anyone on their day and you know what, you got to turn up on that specific day and put out a good performance. We've obviously seen a few upsets throughout this tournament and I guess that just shows you can't take anything for granted. I just said earlier that every game is worth two points so every game is just as important as the next.
Yeah, I think just making sure you're able to prepare and plan as best you can and you know for every game is vitally important. Whether that be at the start of the tournament, in the middle, at the back end, for us it doesn't change. We're taking every game, just like every game. Yeah, I guess it's going to be an interesting couple of weeks to see how things pan out.
