13 February - Paarl - England Captain Heather Knight post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Heather Knight, was that quite as clinical as you wanted it to be or do you feel like you have sort of some things that you want to work on?
[Heather Knight]
I think today, we obviously haven't played against Ireland as much. I don't know the last time we played against them actually, I think the last time I played against them was in County Cricket but I think today was all about trying to get that win and we did that basically. They can be quite a banana skin, they came out really hard at us, I was really impressed with how they played actually, they look like they've got a really clear plan, they're well drilled, they know how they want to go about things in this tournament and they certainly put us under pressure at the start but I think the way we brought it back in the middle with the spinners and then Alice, the way she batted, breaking the back of the chase and making it not too nervy in the end, I think it's probably not quite the way we wanted to finish but ultimately it was all about getting the two points and moving on to Port Elizabeth, one step closer to obviously trying to qualify for the semis.
[Reporter]
Just a word on Alice too because she's had quite six months or so, she's had a great summer and then the broken collarbone and then back and how, just a word on her journey so far?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, she's done amazingly to get back obviously from that collarbone, we were expecting to not have her available - so to see her come back and overcome that sort of injury and mentally it can be quite tricky as well so the fact that she's worked her way through that and come back is brilliant and she fits with exactly how I want to play the game, that fearlessness, she goes out and plays in one way and really takes on the power play which is what we want from our top three players so yeah, really nice to obviously have her available in the side and to see her announcing herself and doing well at such a young age.
[Reporter]
And I have to ask, was it weird playing whilst the WPL auction was going on and how did you guys watch it, what did you do?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, it was very weird actually, we tried to have a team meeting before we got on the bus and all the Indians were watching it in our hotel and we had to move the meeting because there was lots of cheering and obviously they were enjoying themselves so yeah, there's no point to the line, it was strange, it's something we've never experienced and you don't often get it in the men's game I don't think when it's on match day - so it was all kind of trying to manage it as best we could, trying to do what individuals wanted and also trying to, when we got here, our main focus obviously was on the game and trying to do that and that, now the IPL auction, I think it's finished, I'm not sure, there might be some more to come but I think now it's us regrouping, getting together, whatever happens in the IPL auction doesn't change the value of those players to us as a team and now it's regrouping, getting back together and focusing on ultimately what we're here to do, first of all make the semi-finals and try and win a World Cup at the end of it.
[Reporter]
Did you follow it at all before the match or did you leave it to individuals, how did everybody follow it?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, I left it to individuals, completely up to people if they wanted to know what was going on and we communicated that so some of the girls would have known, I just turned my phone on airplane mode and put my headphones in, so yeah, definitely up to the individual.
[Reporter]
Last one from me, just your own reaction to your own result in the auction?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, really pleased to be involved, I wasn't really expecting to get picked up, I haven't played a huge amount of cricket the last year so yeah, really pleased, looking forward to it but obviously my focus now is captaining England and trying to bring home that World Cup.
[Reporter]
Nat Sciver has been picked up for one of the top prizes in the auction, is that a surprise? What's your reaction to that?
[Heather Knight]
Not at all, I think she's one of the best if not the best cricketers in the world and Nat probably won't like all the attention, she's very humble and she's just very, very good at cricket, I'm super glad she's on our team and I think also it's about making sure that Nat's able to deal with that because it's not just a, potentially just a positive, the pressure that comes with that - but also I think hopefully it'll be something that she thrives on and yeah, she's at the top of her game at the moment, so yeah, it's not a surprise at all.
[Reporter]
Just following up on that, on a larger scheme of things, the way, the kind of value which the players went for today and for a lot of them it could be life changing, the kind of money they're going to get, on a larger scheme of things, what do you think this will impact the growth of women's game or more players getting into women's cricket in general as well?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, it's something that we've got to deal with as players, I think, not just the IPL, there's obviously the Draft and the 100 coming up and different competitions around the world so it's very new to us and I think talking about it as much as possible is a really healthy thing and managing it as an individual as well and making sure those individuals have the support that is needed, but I think it's a really good thing for the game, there's obviously, if you look purely at this WPL auction, there's winners and losers but there's so many opportunities in cricket these days and I think the fact that the WPL, has come in, I think will weigh the growth of world cricket, I think other boards are going to have to catch up, the money involved now and to keep international cricket as well going and I think the best place to be is to have the international game really healthy and the domestic game and thriving off each other and that's the best way forward for the game. So hopefully domestic and international are looked after, it's exciting times.
[Reporter]
Just to bring it back to today, 12 months ago with this Irish side, there was a perception that once you got Gabby, you were in business, I think they've kind of developed that now and it's more so once you get the top three, you're in business, was that kind of the messaging that you had with the players today, was to go hard at that top three and you're in a good place?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, we knew they've had some really good players, they've got really good records in international cricket, Gabby's obviously a key player for them having played in the 100, we knew a little bit more about her than we did some of the other players but yeah I was really impressed, I thought the way they came out, they looked to really take the game on running our bowlers and really tested us and it was clear that that was the game plan and what they wanted to do so that was quite impressive and there's certainly some skill in there as well I think, got a couple of good young spinners and yeah I certainly see Irish cricket pushing a few teams hard in this competition, I think if they got another 30 runs on that wicket and with their slow bowlers it could have been a bit more tricky so yeah it's nice to see obviously the game grow in our side of the world.
[Reporter]
Just on what you said there about how much you may or may not have known about the other players, you went to spin really early, third over the game, was that in response to them coming hard on the day, was it in response to the pitch or was it in response to the fact that you would have known that their top three like pace on the ball and you very quickly took the pace off?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah it was a little bit of both, I think the wicket spin was a lot harder to face and obviously we've got three world class spinners that could maximise those conditions so it just felt like the right thing that day, it's not very often that I bowl four overs of spin in the power play but yeah it just felt like with those conditions and I think pace off the ball in particular is really hard and a little bit of, it felt like the Irish batters at the top of the order wanted pace so a little bit of a combination. Thank you.
[Reporter]
Your power play was 69 runs in the first six overs, was it like a dress rehearsal for the big matches to come in or was it just a celebration of the WIPL or the way you were going and second question to that is, after batting, is the world hasn't managed to figure out Sophie Eccleston's spin yorker as the commentators call it, the spin yorker, is she world's first spin bowler?
[Heather Knight]
Often known as the dart I think, I think that's been re-christened a little bit but no she executes it very well. She goes to and is very hard when obviously trying to take her down, I face her a lot in the nets and when she gets one at the toes, any bowler that is able to bowl Yorkers pace or spin it's hard to hit boundaries off so it's certainly a really good weapon in her armoury and on your first question, not at all is one winning the game of cricket, that's all we're focused on, we want to be really aggressive in the power play, particularly on this wicket today it felt like the best time to bat is in the power play when the ball's a bit fresher and obviously fielders are outside, inside the rink so no it was all about how we want to play and trying to beat Ireland today.
[Reporter]
I've just got a couple, Heather Knight I'm not sure if you're aware of the timing of the whole thing with your phone on aeroplane mode, but you got picked up, it was about the 19th over just before you came in, but are you saying you didn't find out you'd been picked up until the end of the match, no one gave you a secret nod or a wink or anything like that?
[Heather Knight]
No not at all, it's probably a good thing the way I batted, if they'd seen that I don't think I would have got picked up at all, it made it a little bit hard work out there, but no when we were at the ground it was all about just focusing on the game and I just got told afterwards and obviously who'd been picked up and who's missed out.
[Reporter]
Sophie Eccleston was another England player and Alice Capsey , you've had a few picked up, I just wonder I guess on both sides those players who have been picked up, you talked about the pressure before, some of them seem to have an extra spring in their step today and I wonder if they knew? On the other side of that are you going to go up to players individually who may have missed out and just check that they're doing okay?
[Heather Knight}
Yeah of course, I think the whole team will make sure individuals are looked after, that's really important and what we're about as a side and like I said earlier the value of players to the England team doesn't change because they haven't been picked up, they're still very valuable, everyone in the squad is hugely valuable to us trying to win a World Cup so that doesn't change and yeah they'll certainly be looked after and given space if needed to obviously deal with anything and try and refocus and get back on it.
Some of the girls would have known going into it, the ones picked up early, I think Soph knew and she's someone that really thrives on that pressure so you'd have to check everyone individually but yeah a few of the girls would have known arriving but during the game our self-focus was on trying to obviously get the two points.
[Reporter]
And is there a danger that players who didn't get picked up might be, it could be a danger or it could be a good thing if they want to really prove themselves but is that something that you have to sort of look at as well if they kind of feel that then they have a point to prove and whether you can harness that?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah maybe I think it's completely individual and the main thing is about regrouping, refocusing on what we're here to do and that's as an England team trying to win a World Cup. Every individual will be given that support and ultimately we want to get the best out of every player, however we do that. The main thing is making sure they're okay and then trying to refocus on cricket and get the best out of all the individuals in our team.
[Reporter]
Heather Knight. Hello. Just one from me about sort of when you look back at your career and the opportunities available for people sort of like Alice Capsey coming through at 18 now, how much has the game changed and sort of how far do you think they can go beyond what was available for you when you were that age?
[Heather Knight]
It has certainly changed, that's for sure. But I think even myself, I've benefited hugely and had so many more opportunities than the people that came before me. So, I think in the evolution of the game, it's really important to remember that I think as a player about where the games come from and the people that have played a part in that. And yes, it's hugely exciting, obviously brings different challenges as well. I found myself quite lucky that I was able to have quite a normal university life and I was a little bit poorer than these girls are going to be, but it also gave me a chance to work out who I am and to do a few different things. So, yes, it's certainly different, but the game is just developing so much and it's so rewarding to see. And yes, I think it's going to continue to go mad, if I'm honest, but it's pretty exciting to see where it might be in four or five years.
[Reporter]
And given all the hype around the sort of women's IPL, how excited are you to be a part of it? And also sort of a sign that women's franchise cricket is growing similarly to it as in the men's game?
[Heather Knight]
Yes, really excited. I think being involved in the inaugural one will be really special. It'll be very new, very different. And yes, any time you get to play overseas in a franchise competition, you get to work with different coaches, play with different players, play in different conditions. And that's a huge way to learn and to grow your game, I think. So that's really exciting to also be involved in that. So, yes, I think it's a huge positive and looking forward to it.
[Reporter]
Congratulations. Just a quick question from me. A lot of talk, obviously, about the WPL. You mentioned the 100, lots of cricket being played around the world for women, which is great. Does it help you as a tactician and indeed when you're doing your preparation, when you're playing in big competitions like this World Cup to have played with players in these competitions and to see them playing both their teammates at times and playing against them? Does it help you to know them then when you're not really familiar with the teams like you were with Ireland today, perhaps?
[Heather Knight]
Yeah, I think so. You get to know players a lot better, you play against them a lot more, you play with them. But I guess it's a double-edged sword. They obviously know more about you and your teammates and stuff like that. So, yes, it's something that's obviously been in the game with the Big Bash, 100, etc., for quite a long time. Yeah, certainly means there's not many secrets. There's a lot more games that are on telly and streamed and coded with Hawkeye and stuff now. So, there's a lot more stats and a lot more information, I guess, to use at your disposal when you're planning for teams.