4 November - Ahmedabad - Australia player Adam Zampa post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
How difficult was the dew out there and when was the last time you dunked a ball in a bucket of water like you told us you'd done previously?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, firstly it was, it got quite wet early actually, probably earlier than we expected it to, but it still felt like for the first 20 or so overs the wicket was holding a little bit and still slightly slow. Difficult to get wickets, but I think we did really well to get the rate up a little bit, but yeah, it was quite wet. The ball got swapped around about the 40 over mark, which we didn't really ask for, the ball was getting wet when it got hit along the carpet, but it was kind of dryable compared to maybe Chennai in the first game where it was just really wet the whole innings.
[Reporter:]
You've always said you're self-critical and you analyse your own game and you know whether you're bowling well or not, but just as this tournament has progressed, do you think you've hit a point where you think you're bowling the best you have so far at this tournament?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, I'd say tonight is as satisfying as it feels after an ODI in terms of my 10 overs. Bowling mainly to lefties, Malan, Stokes, Ali, they're quality players. And to sit back, knowing that I went for 20 runs off 10 overs, my length control was as good as it's been, it was a really satisfying one tonight.
[Reporter:]
And just on the review that you guys got right, obviously Marnus has a reputation of thinking everything is out, but there was a big celebration around him when it was proven to be right, he was proven to be right, and has he stopped talking about it? And just can you describe that moment?
[Adam Zampa:]
He's taken a lot of credit for this. I think I was also saying take the review, but cameras got to Marnus, he was happy with that one. I said no worries, mate, I wasn't involved in that at all, don't worry, but it was a good review.
[Reporter:]
I think it was a pretty good night for you Adam, with the bat and in the field as well. Can you talk us through your batting innings and have you taken a better catch than that one?
[Adam Zampa:]
Batting innings, really satisfying, it's probably the most satisfying ODI I've ever played to be honest. To be able to contribute with the bat, I mean, Starky and I spoke about trying to take it deep, with still staying fairly positive, because we stuffed it up against New Zealand. Probably could have faced another 10 balls or so and got a little bit of a bigger total. But nice to contribute with the bat, it felt good and then the catch, I mean, I am not known as the best fielder in the world but satisfying to work on stuff and things come off like that so it's a good feeling.
[Reporter:]
And just the wickets of Butler and Stokes in particular, like it might not have been your best ball to Stokes, but can you kind of tell us how pumped up you were in those moments?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, the game was in the balance. Whenever I look up at the scoreboard, I always try and think about a T20 game, what's left with after 30 overs and kind of compare maybe where they're at with the bat as well. If they're three down with 160 to get in the last 20 overs, it's going to be a little bit difficult if you continue to get wickets and get into the tail. Butler felt like a really big wicket and then I think they needed 130 odd off 100 balls and out there, Stokes, Moeen Ali, they get on a roll, they cruise that really. So really satisfying wickets, I think Butler and Stokes, really satisfying and Moeen Ali's, I'm known for bowling flatter and faster, but at the moment, I felt like my length control was really good today so to be able to bowl it slower and bring it back a little bit was also a really satisfying wicket.
[Reporter:]
How's the back and your other various elements at the minute?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, good. Back's ongoing, it's not spasming anymore, it's a bit stiff but body's coping pretty well.
[Reporter:]
And just on your batting, how much work are you putting into that side of things and what's it like facing Mark Wood when he's setting them at your head?
[Adam Zampa:]
I don't really like facing Mark Wood, let's be honest, it's fast, the ball is a bit dark, not all that enjoyable, but I haven't been putting a lot of work in either, to be honest. I hadn't had a hit since Trent Boult ripped my off pole out against New Zealand a week ago. So, I can't lie to you and say I've been working on my batting this week either.
[Reporter:]
Sorry to bring this up because Jos is here but your record against Butler is pretty insane. I think it's five wickets and the average is about eight against you in ODI cricket. What do you put that down to? How do you explain that?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, I don't know, he smacks me a lot as well, particularly in T20 cricket. I know that you'll say that I've got a good ODI record against him, but I think I got him out three times after they won the T20 World Cup and I'm not sure he'd sobered up yet. So yeah, it's always satisfying to get a player like him out. He's a good friend of mine as well and a big wicket in the English team, big wicket.
[Reporter:]
When people looked at Australia's World Cup squad coming to India before this tournament, there was a lot of comments about Australia not having a lot of spin options with basically you and then with Maxi in there as well and him being out, Travis coming in and bowling a few overs. But what does that do to you? Do you feel that responsibility brings out the best in you? And did you think about that and talk about the amount of responsibility that you have in the side?
[Adam Zampa:]
No, not necessarily. Andrew McDonald said, you know, Ash Agar, he's not going to be right for it, he's injured, you're going to be the only spinner and instead of thinking about it as responsibility I said to him, you guys must think I'm pretty good if you think I can do the job by myself. So yeah, I took it as a lot of confidence to be honest, not responsibility just I mean our strength has always been our fast bowling as well it's hard to get away from those three guys, they keep rocking up and doing the job every single time as well so yeah I mean it would be lovely to have Ash here in an ideal world but yeah I'm confident that I can with Maxi obviously as well who's been doing a great job yeah I feel like I can keep doing my thing as my as the only spinner.
[Reporter:]
You guys had a bit of a break after the game in Dharamshala. What did you get up to? Was it helpful to have a bit of downtime during what can be quite an intense tournament?
[Adam Zampa:]
Yeah, it was really nice. I have my family here. We stayed in Dharamshala for a few extra days. I wore a few robes and found myself up there in the hills. Yeah, just went on a couple of treks and a few other boys obviously played golf. So yeah, I was pretty recluse for a few days.
[Reporter:]
Many of us in India were exact when you were not selected for the Test series a few months back. How difficult was it personally for you? And is it, I mean, have you accepted that you're going to be a white ball bowler? We hope we can see you in Test as well. And how did that episode play a part in just before, leading up to this tournament?
[Adam Zampa:]
No, not that difficult. I was hopeful. I'd love to play Test cricket. I'd love to have that opportunity. I've said that plenty of times. But I'm pretty realistic about how it looks and what works in the subcontinent. There aren't a lot of leg spinners playing Test cricket at the moment either. I was hopeful, obviously would have loved to have still played that in that test series but as soon as I found out I wasn't playing and kind of saw how the games are going in that series I started concentrating on the World Cup. We've got this one and obviously the T20 World Cup coming up next year as well so there was plenty to look forward to.