13 February - Gqeberha - Australia Coach Shelley Nitschke pre-match press conference

[Reporter]

What do you make of the ground and the conditions here at St. George’s Park?

[Shelley]

Yeah, it looks like a really nice facility. And a few of the girls had a field today, and it looks like a great oval to field on. So, looking forward to tomorrow night. But I think we're presented with some good conditions and a great facility again, which is really good to see.

[Reporter]

And how important will it be for the team to keep up momentum this week with the last three games coming in five days?

[Shelley]

Oh, definitely. We've got a pretty tight turnaround between the next three games, so I think it's important that we make sure that we're showing up and switching on every game. And then in between those games, making sure that we top up on our skills, but also take the time to rest and reset for the next one.

[Reporter]

And just last night, we saw 16-year-old Marufa Akhtar from Bangladesh, I think, take three wickets and cause huge problems for Sri Lanka. Were you having a look at her, and what did you make of that?

[Shelley]

Yeah, I did. I saw her bowling. She bowls very nicely. So, she was certainly someone that we've spoken about today, and I'm sure the batters will have a bit of a look at and think about their plans to her. But there's a number of players, but she was fantastic last night, so we certainly need to be on the lookout for her when she gets the ball in hand.

[Reporter]

Hi, Shelly. Bangladesh has been a slightly difficult side to deal with in terms of the uncertainties they can pose at the 2022 edition of the ODI World Cup they did run Australia close. What do you make of them as a team that is growing in confidence with every world tournament that they are featuring in?

[Shelley]

Yeah, we certainly don't take them lightly, and we know how skilful they are. I think they play a slightly different style to what we play and what we often get in Australian conditions. So, their slightly off-pace spin and skill with the ball is something that we're very wary of. We know that they're an improving team. They challenged us at the ODI World Cup, so we certainly will be making sure that we're ticking all the boxes tomorrow night.

[Reporter]

Beth Mooney has been so consistent over the past few years that her scoring a couple of ducks feels like an oddity. What do you make of the way she's gone about at the nets, and is it a real cause of concern at all that she's not been getting into runs?

[Shelley]

No, not at all. I think when it comes to the crunch, Mooney often delivers for us. And at some stage, people don't make runs, but there's nothing to concern. She's hitting the ball well. She's got good plans. She's not overthinking it, so I'm really confident that she's going to be fine for the tournament.

[Reporter]

And given while the Australia training was underway, it is something that I cannot not bring up. The WPL auction is underway, and Ashley Gardner, Stan, is leading the overseas players' roster with the highest bid. She's gone for Indian rupees 3.2 crore, which is quite a whopping sum. What do you make of what Ashley Gardner presents to franchise cricket and to Australia as an all-rounder, as we saw the other day, her taking her career best five-wicket haul?

[Shelley]

Ashley's such a great all-rounder. She delivers in three skills. She's been really important for us over the last 12 months to two years, and even beyond that. But I think what we're finding of recent times is she's really coming into her game and maturing as a cricketer. So, she plays a key role for us. So, it was fantastic to see her perform with the ball and her career best figures against New Zealand. So, I'm looking forward to seeing what the tournament brings for her.

[Reporter]

And while you were heading for the ground today ahead of training, or while you wrapped up today's training session, was there any chatter around what was going on at the WPL? There were a few players watching the auction live, but anything that you picked up from them?

[Shelley]

Not really. I've heard a few things. But more broadly, I think it's just a fantastic day for the game. It moves into, I guess, a different sphere of professionalism today. And it's exciting to see where it's going to go.

[Reporter]

Could you just put it into perspective from an Australian context? Because the Australian game has been quite well supported in women's cricket from the financial point of view. How much more does this take it forward for Australian women?

[Shelley]

Look, I think it does. It takes the whole game forward, and we're just a small part of that. But it's going to be really exciting to see all the players back playing in India together in another franchise. And WPL is going to take the game to a different level, I think. So, it's exciting for Australian cricket as it is for cricket all over the world. So, I think our girls are excited about it, but focused on the job at hand while we're here in South Africa as well.

[Reporter]

What have you made of the way Elyssa Healey has been able to come back into the team and start with a 50 after a six-week layoff?

[Shelley]

Yeah, it's just a testament to the player she is and the professionalism of her through her recovery. And rehabilitation from that injury. But the way she struck the ball in the practice game against Ireland, I think, was excellent. She's been playing well in the nets. And yeah, it's really pleasing for her to see her out there again playing for Australia and scoring runs. So yeah, just a really good story and a great comeback for her.

[Reporter]

Something on Ellyse Perry's new look, inside out, short for six. She was honing that at the Brabourne Stadium during the India Tour. And the other day, she brought out a few of them. Anything that you would want to say about that particular stroke, how she's gone about honing that with Dan Marsh or yourself?

[Shelley]

Oh, I think it's something that Pez has probably always had in her repertoire, to be honest. And I think she's just backing herself a little bit more to play it and picking the right balls. So, I think she's always been able to play that way. It's now she's having the courage to bring it to the big stage. And it's fantastic to see. But it's something that she works on. She works on her whole game in the nets. And it's an area that she's worked on more recently. But I actually think it's always been in her shots.