4 March - Dunedin - South Africa Captain Sune Luus pre-match press conference
Media Manager: Welcome to South Africa's pre match press conference for the ICC Cricket - woman's Cricket World Cup 2022 - ahead of tomorrow's South Africa's opener against Bangladesh, in University Oval in Dunedin. Today, we've got Captain Sune Luus, just some house rules - please, can I ask you to use the hand raise function to ask a question? And please just keep it at one or two questions per person, please at a time. Thank you, Nathan, we'll get underway with you sir, please get onto it.
Reporter: Thank you. First good luck for the tournament. We're all behind you and believe you’ll let us all take this one.
Sune: Yeah. Good morning. Thank you so much. We appreciate it.
Reporter: Well, first question is regarding the warm up. So what were your thoughts on those fixtures?
Yeah, I think for us, the warm ups was all about assessing the conditions and taking out of it what we could - I think there was a lot of positives and we could see what the conditions were going to do mostly. So I think there were a lot of positives for us it was also to give a lot of the players some game time and confidence in the middle as well.
Reporter: Then my last question, you ladies touched down in Dunedin today. Are you ladies feeling good like you should ahead of the first game against Bangladesh?
Sune: Yeah, we all are feeling pretty confident, we had run around on the park today. Pretty cool scenes here in Dunedin. It's very nice ground and we're all excited to go tomorrow.
Reporter: Awesome. Thanks Nathan. Zahir please go ahead -
Reporter: Good afternoon in Dunedin - just in terms of the side being together for so long. You guys have almost played - a lot of you have almost played three World Cups together. Does it feel that this is the climax of quite a long journey for a lot of players in the side?
Sune: Yeah, definitely. I think we've played a couple of World Cups together but I think this is the ultimate one for us. And also for a lot of our most experienced players. I think it's their big one. So hopefully we can make it count and we can just make it an enjoyable one.
Reporter: Obviously, you don't have Lizelle Lee tomorrow - just in terms of the makeup of the side is that basically the - been accommodated for – like you guys knew that she wasn't going to be available for a while?
Sune: Yeah, we always knew she wasn't going to be available for the first ODI. Yeah, so we've got a couple of player around upfront and hopefully we've got the combination correct for tomorrow and she'll make it difficult for Lizelle to come back into the side.
Reporter: And lastly, you actually play Bangladesh quite often compared to the other sides in the world. You know, what do you expect from them tomorrow and do you remember that game in Mirpur - the very first one in 2012?
Sune: Yeah, I made my debut against Bangladesh. It was pretty cool. The stadium was full - one of the best experiences in my life, but they're a very good side and it's obviously a World Cup so you know every single game is going to be a challenge. You can't take any team lightly. So tomorrow is going to be nothing different for us. Our standards are going to be the same, intensity are going to be the same and we know they're going to bring the game to us as well. They're a very good side. It's obviously their first World Cup as well. So we're hoping to just apply basics correctly and put them under pressure early on.
Reporter: Just to carry on from there. Have you guys identified what exactly will be your biggest challenge against a team like Bangladesh tomorrow?
Sune: Yeah, I think, you know, obviously, you can't look too far ahead. So we got to rock up tomorrow morning, assess the conditions and play the game of cricket. I think you got to assess what's in front of you and adapt accordingly. If it's a wicked that the prior score is 300, you need to get that and, and try and get over that, if it's a wicket where we need to get 180 - we need to do that and defend, or if you need to bowl them out under 200 - we got to do that. So, I think whatever the conditions are tomorrow, we have to adapt and just play the game of cricket.
Reporter: And just one more if I can, you have you mentioned this before, you have a very settled side, you have several leaders in your midst. For you personally, do you have a go to under pressure – is there someone who you particularly seek advice from when the sides under pressure?
Sune: Not someone specific, but I have a couple of players around me - our vice-captain Chloe Tryon is always there giving some advice in my ear, and then I obviously go to Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail on the field, two of our most experienced players and our bowlers as well. So they are kind of the two that gives me the most advice on the field.
Reporter: Thank you.
Reporter: Good luck for the tournament. So my question to you is, there's a lot of talk about how the scoring rates at this tournament could once again, break the records from 2017 as 2017 did to 2013. In terms of where the game is going, vis a vis the batting in the game? Do you expect that to happen again? Or do you expect the scoring rates to be closer to five overall in the tournament? Expecting bigger scores? Is that what the discussion in the team has been about?
Sune: Yeah, I think if you look at the warm up matches, and the series that New Zealand just played against India, India scored consistently over 260 and couldn't defend that. You know, we obviously have to assess conditions wherever we go, we're playing on different grounds every game so I think, you know, whatever the pitch gives us you need to adapt to that, but the pattern has been 250 plus, if not 300. Even in the warm up game, you know, Australia got 320 and a New Zealand chased it down with nine wickets in hand, so I'm expecting to see big scores. And you know, as the batters evolved over the past few years, the bowlers did as well. So it's going to be a good challenge for you know, for both respective batters and Bowlers.
Reporter: So the all the expectations that it's going to be a high scoring tournament. How important is it for you as a side to have a bowling attack that has Shabnim Ismail, Kapp and you know even Khaka doing well? It's a very strong bowling unit in terms of the pace – pace unit that you have. How important is that for you as a side?
Sune: Yeah, they're going to be key. I think we have a lot of good bowlers in our side. A great bowling attack. So I think we're confident that whatever the batters give the bowlers on the day - they can defend.
Reporter: Thank you - You mentioned that the Past score of roughly 250 right up to 350 - with the squad that you have - do you believe that you got to the balance to win the World Cup if you consider batting fielding bowling and those departments for the World Cup?
Sune: Yeah, I think we have a well-balanced team. I think on the day if all three our departments fire like they are supposed to, I think we can beat any team in the world. So I think it's just going to be a challenge for us to get both or all three respective skills on the day to fire and make sure we do that consistently.
Reporter: So you've now lead the side in quite a few series but as your you know debut World Cup as Captain just on a personal level. Just how excited are you personally to lead the side tomorrow?
Sune: Yeah, no, it's a great opportunity. It's something I've dreamed about for many many years. And I'm just hoping you know that I can lead from the front and you know, pick up my hand as a captain and you know, pull the team towards a victory and I know the team trusts me, the management team trusts me. It's just about staying calm and you know, applying the basis correctly and making good decisions.
Reporter: If there are not any more question Guys, we will just call it there.
Reporter: Just to touch on Bangladesh a little bit, they are obviously going to be a big challenge in terms of being very spin heavy attack. Have you guys kind of spoken about how you are going to deal with the spinners or is it just going to be based on what the condition, the kinds of challenges the conditions provide you tomorrow?
Sune: Yeah, definitely about the conditions. Like I said, You can't look too far too far ahead. We've got to we got to play what the conditions give us. But I think you know, we've got a good spin attack as well. And Bangladesh also has a good spin attack as subcontinent team. So, you know, whatever we get, and wherever we throw at them. It's got to be consistent, and it's going to be good.
Media Manager: Awesome. And that will be it. Thank you. Thank you everyone for attending. The video of the press conference will be available on ICC Media Zone as well.