31 March - Christchurch - South Africa players Sune Luus and Shabnim Ismail post-match press conference

Reporter: Let's go to an important question. Since I think of the first game there has been a player who has misfired throughout the tournament and the leadership group, who faced the media, gave assurance that you guys weren't quite concerned or worried at all and the person I won’t mention was a knock away to being on check. That never happened in terms of selection, any regrets?

Luus: No, I think all the people or the players we selected to play for us we obviously back 100%. Cricket is a funny game. So if a player wasn't in form, it was due to happen. And it just unfortunately, didn't. But we still back our players 100% no matter what.

Reporter: Just asking about the bowling. Did it feel really like I slipped away, obviously, you started really well, and got some wickets? Did you feel that partnership sort of really take the game away a bit?

Luus: Yeah, I think so. And also think we didn't really take our chances. I think we were given a couple and I don't think it was our best fielding performance. So I think, if we took our chances, it might have been a different score. But at the end of the day that sort of thing 290 was a good score to chase. We just didn't apply ourselves with the bat tonight.

Reporter: Just how disappointing was the catching - I think you guys dropped Wyatt four times - was pretty tough. But you know, you fielded pretty well on this tournament not to take those chances. How tough was it?

Luus: Yeah, definitely. I think we always pride ourselves on our fielding and to not take those chances tonight I think as a fielding unit, we are very disappointed in that. But yeah, it's been a good campaign for us, so I don’t think we’re going to define ourselves by the game we played tonight.

Reporter: I think it would be nice if both Luus and Ismail could answer this. Guy's I suppose you went through the campaign with a lot of expectation. Could you talk us through a little bit about the - whether there was pressure, what do you think it was that undid you today, given how well you've competed previously, and then also where to from here?

Luus: Yeah, I think we've had a brilliant campaign to get ourselves into the semifinal was obviously one of our goals and we did that. And we're extremely proud as a team still. And it's still very disappointing to not be in that final. But yeah, I think we've played good cricket – today we just didn't, you know, bring our best game when it was needed.

Ismail: Yeah, I think if you speak about pressure, I think, coming into a World Cup itself, we play every game like it's a final and just it’s a pity today we couldn't get over the line. And like everyone say, catches win matches, and we couldn't take our catches today. And I think the way Danny played, we could have a four chance then she took the game away from us. And I think I still feel like the score was par, But then again, our batters never rocked up today. But still, like Luus said - we don't define ourselves. I think we played good cricket throughout this whole campaign. And that's just the way things went tonight.

Reporter: So now I just wanted to ask, is there any particular reason why you weren’t bowling today and to Ismail - The South African pace attack at this point is arguably one of the best going around with the Kapp, Khaka and Klass - the kind of campaign that you have had so far in this tournament, if you could reflect on that.

Luus: Yeah, I think the bowlers that came on to bowl today did an exceptional job. I felt like they were bowling good areas and creating chances so was just nothing not the ball tonight.

Ismail: Yeah, I think if you speak about the four pace attacks like Luus said - wasn't really a need for it tonight. We knew that we had the four pacers that could take the game away from the England team. And I think still that we bowled really well and like I said that the score was fine. Just It's a pity that our batters couldn't get over the line or we couldn't even build partnerships upfront - So that was just, it was hard for us.

Reporter: Both of you guys have said that this game doesn't define the team but if you look at the ages of the side, it's possibly the last time that this group of players will be playing together in a World Cup. And so how does it not define you guys as a group in terms of ultimately not getting into the final?

Ismail: Yeah, so for us, obviously, we knew we come into a semifinal we knew we're going to play England. I mean, if you speak about define I mean we won England before and tonight just wasn’t our night and obviously the older players in the team we knew what we had to do in tonight and apparently we just couldn't get over the line.

Reporter: If you can just give us a sense of emotionally what you're feeling right now. What the atmosphere in the changing room is like at the moment and just a message for the South Africans back home.

Luus: Yeah, no, obviously it's a very sad changing tonight. Different to all of our games that we've been playing. I think like we said, there's a couple of players who might be their last World Cup. And I think for us as younger players, it's, it breaks our heart that we couldn't give the final to them and help them get that trophy that they've been working towards for almost - I don't know, 15 years. So I think that breaks our hearts more, that we couldn't support them, if it's their last World Cup, but I think Ismail is ready to go for another, another one or two more. But no it's going to be a hard pill to swallow this one, especially just in the way we lost. I felt like that was a bit disappointing. So yeah, but I guess it still doesn't take away from how we've been playing. So I think we just need to look back at that and reflect on that and enjoy the fact that we are in the semifinal and although it didn't go our way. I think we can still be very proud of ourselves.

Reporter: This question is to either of you - Could you tell me what you told the girls at the end of the England innings, there was a time when you were just huddling everybody around before y'all walked off the pitch. And the other thing is, could you just take us through what 2020, the T20 World Cup in 2022, This particular World Cup the journey, what that's been like for you guys. South Africa, was a brilliant team in both these additions and rain undid you then. And just things didn't go your way this time. But can you take us through what's gone into building a team that's easily among the best in the world?

Luus: Yeah, I think Kapp took the huddle chat. She was just saying that although they've got the runs on the board, we still have world class batters in our team as well. And she was just encouraging us to give it our all. And then yes, we've had a brilliant couple of years as a team. I think we've grown immensely. And all the players have stepped up at different times and it's been amazing to see the growth in each and every player. It's still not over. So I think it's very exciting to see what the future holds. And when we go back it's going to be amazing to regroup and start fresh and just take it from there.

Reporter: And then Ismail can I ask you - you've been a stalwart for South African cricket so far, what is the way forward, would you also want to go to England and seek your revenge perhaps against England?

Ismail: Yeah, for me, it's pretty simple. I mean, I feel in my cricketing career I'm just peaking at the right time. I know I'm 33 years old now but I feel that my career is going in the right direction. So hopefully when we get to England, we can get our revenge but also in saying that it's not only about getting revenge, but playing good cricket and smart cricket as well.

Reporter: My question is, if you could each answer this. How does South Africa take the next step from here on? You've said before that this was a five-year cycle and you've built up nicely over the last five years into the semifinals to finish second here. What does it take to go to the next step and compete for the title and get the title in terms of more matches, playing in more leagues, more players getting contracts, things like that, if you could just speak about it.

Luus: Yeah, I think it starts from at provincial cricket, I think, something that needs to happen back home is our provincial structure needs to be stronger. We need more players coming into the system and competing at a higher level with our emerging team as well. So I think it all starts there. And then we can get some rebuilding phase, and just get stronger and stronger. I think, as we look at the world, everybody is creating leagues and everybody is playing around the world and I don't want South Africa to fall behind. So it's going to take a huge effort for us to take a leap of faith and encourage sponsors to come on board and help the growth of women's cricket in South Africa. I think that's going to be very important when we get back home.

Reporter: Ismail If you could just add, so you've seen a lot of things in your career so far. Just what does it take for the rest of the group to now consistently challenge Australia and England - for the titles?

Ismail: Yeah, for me, it's pretty simple. I don't think it's a skill problem that we have. I think it's more mental. I think we've got the skill we've got world class players in our in our lineup and I mean, it's just for us to fire on the day. And unfortunately, today we couldn't – just for us obviously go back and work on our mental part of the game. I always say it's 80% mental and 20% skill and just today, we couldn't rock up and credit to England for winning the game.

Reporter: Luus this was your first major tournament as a captain. So what are the positive takeaways you take home as a leader or a senior player?

Luus: Yeah, no, I think it's been a brilliant World Cup for South Africa. I think we've had a lot of stand up performances, I think we've broken a lot of hearts in this tournament by winning crucial games that people might have thought - it was supposed to go the other way. So I think for us, it's just getting over that line in crucial moments. I think that was amazing for our team to have that mental strength and just get us across the line every time. I think this was our best campaign at a World Cup yet. And I think that's something we can be extremely proud of. People moved up in ranks, I think that's extremely important for us and for players just to get them competing against the best in the world. Laura Wolvaardt is currently number one in the world batter. We've got our three seamers in the top 10. So I think there's a lot of positives we can take out of this World Cup and I think, you know, we can be extremely proud of the campaign we've had.

Reporter: Sune, Sorry about the loss today. I just want to ask you quickly , my colleague asked you about the team’s age group, and players that have been playing for South Africa a few years now, if you could just explain in Afrikaans what the loss means to you, and also, what does the future hold for many of these players? And then Shabnim can I ask you - you've been a stalwart for South African cricket so far, what is the way forward, would you also want to go to England and seek your revenge perhaps against England?

Sune: Yes, I think there are obviously lots of our players who are a little older., but I do not think they are done just yet. I think there is still a long road that lies ahead for them. I know that Shabnim here next to me is ready for another World Cup. So, I think it is obviously disappointing what happened tonight, but I do not think they are done yet.