13 February - Paarl - Ireland player Orla Prendergast post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Was that a case of just one that got away considering the start you had?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I think Gabby and Amy started incredibly well out there and first game of World Cup There's always going to be nerves and they started really well and I think we obviously lost wickets and clusters which never ideal, but we all went out there with the same intent to keep trying to score and keep trying to take the game on which is something we've spoken about. So I suppose our batting performance probably wasn't quite where we wanted to be but there's definite positives we could take from it.
[Reporter]
Or was it the spin in particular so difficult not so much to get away but to start your innings against wickets and clusters, like you said.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I think spin was definitely difficult to face I think there's been a go bit quicker than what we're used to facing. And I suppose trying to get used to that in a way - but yeah, as I said, yeah, definitely a lot of positives to take.
[Reporter]
What is that? What difference does that make the fact that the spin is slightly quicker?
[Orla Prendergast]
I think definitely changes kind of the way you can move your feet to it and personally that's something I really like to do is my move my feet to spin and so I kind of have to reassess and with how flat they're about.
[Reporter]
One or two dismissals may be targeting the longer square boundaries instead of straight Was that something you kind of spoke about trying to hit a little bit straighter?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I think as a team something we always try and talk about is going straight as possible targeting just straight back over that bowler's head, yeah, maybe we got caught going a bit too square at times, but we'll look at that and go again.
[Reporter]
Did you take much from that win in the warm-up against Australia into this game?
[Orla Prendergast]
I think probably the main thing is confidence to be honest and to know that we can take on the best team in the world In Australia, take a huge amount of confidence and I think that's definitely the main thing. Yeah.
[Reporter]
Did you have any sense whilst you were playing or when you went out to play about the WPL auction going on and had that been you know any sort of discussion or - ?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I think a few of us are following it on the bus and kind of seeing what players are going for and such, but we kind of just shut it out to be honest. We just kind of try to focus on our own game.
[Reporter]
So, you spoke about showing intent with the bat. Could you talk us through about the work that has gone on that particular aspect behind the scenes and is that something you want to carry forward despite the result today?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely and I think as soon as I kind of came in something you spoke about was our intent of the bat and how we had to take the game on and really take the positive options as much as we can and I suppose a lot of our training has been geared towards that definitely and yeah, a lot of work on our power and where we can really take our boundaries and hit sixes. So yeah, It's something definitely that obviously it came off today in patches and we can definitely take confidence from that into the next game.
[Reporter]
Does it seem strange to you that you and England are neighbours and yet you never play each other and would you like to play them more?
[Orla Prendergast]
Definitely. Yeah, I would like to play them more and this is the first time I've ever played them I think a lot of the girls first time and yes I suppose it is strange in a way that we're so close together and never play against each other and I'd be great to see more fixtures against them in the near future.
[Reporter]
My question is very simple when you lose wickets in such a block with two wickets going at that - Isn't there a hurdle in the dressing room? And if you want to share exactly what is the discussion then when you lose wickets in quick succession and when you don't expect them to lose so badly.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I think it's definitely a difficult place to be in as a team and as the batter is thinking about to come in when you've lost wickets like that and but playing against a side like England, we need to post a big total and take the game on still So I think players coming in. It's obviously hard if we've lost a few wickets in quick succession, but yeah, our standard really stays the same to keep taking the game on and keep trying to hit boundaries where we can.
[Reporter]
A quick word about Cara - a tremendous spell of Bowling, wasn't it?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, absolutely amazing and Cara has been in true reform and coming into this tournament and yeah three big scalps for it - So it's great to see that come off I know she's done a lot of work with Nathan, our new spin bowling coach, and so yeah, just great to see it come off her and hopefully she can carry that on into the next game
[Reporter]
The fact that you did so well at the end is something you can take into the Pakistan match I suppose
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely. And I think our plans were clear. I think we've come a long way in our plans with our fields and such, so yeah, we really put a squeeze on and managed to get a fair few wickets at the end So definitely can take that into the next game.
[Reporter]
Was it a case of that you the plan was to try and sweep the Spinners and how did the pitch play?
[Orla Prendergast]
I don't think it was a specific plan to sweep them really I think that's just a strength of a lot of our players and Yeah, so it wasn't a specific plan but obviously players went out there and had the intent to do it and the pitch was good I thought and definitely turned a little bit maybe was a slightly slow, but generally was a pretty good pitch I thought.
[Reporter]
You move to boot Newlands now for the game against Pakistan you had a decent series victory against them recently by two matches to one. Obviously, the England game, you know, it's a tough match, they're world number two and you did well against Australia, but this is one of the matches I'd say probably targeting to it to get a win.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely. I think we can take a huge amount of confidence from that series back in November and we know how they play and we know a lot of their players and how we need to bowl and bat against them and see I suppose today was obviously a big game and one they were hoping to play well in, but our next game Is one that we're definitely targeting to come away with a win.
[Reporter]
Yeah, because they just lost to India as well, so they’ll be trying to get a victory themselves. So, it could be very even match with this.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely I think yeah that series in Pakistan was obviously very close between the two of us those coming out on top and two very evenly matched sides in my opinion. So yeah, it should be a great game
[Reporter]
Didn't have any injury problems for any of your squad. Did you today?
[Orla Prendergast]
No, everyone's fully fit. Yeah, all good.
[Reporter]
I know you mentioned earlier on you haven't played England that much but you obviously did your homework because apart from Alice Capsy you really had the measure of their top-quality batters.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely. We do a little bit of analysis I suppose before games and their players and the way they like to play and so yeah, it was a case of kind of putting our plans together and we don't go too specifically into each player and more generally how we want to play and how we think they're going to try play against us. And so yeah we had a few plans in place and thankfully they came off towards the end of that game.
[Reporter]
Yeah, and it looks like the way the tournament is going. I mean apart from the Australian New Zealand game, you know teams like Ireland and Sri Lanka really pushing the bigger powers as it were in the Competition so far- so that obviously gives you great confidence as well.
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, definitely It's great to see obviously the lower ranked nations really competing with those top nations. and yeah, it just shows that the lower nations obviously are really improving and it's great and grow the game further when there's good games going on and lower ranked teams beating higher ranked teams. It's always great to see.
[Reporter]
You made a good start to the game and also a good finish with Cara’s three wickets. So how would you sum up over all the performance and what will you work on against Pakistan?
[Orla Prendergast]
Yeah, I suppose to sum it up I think with the bat we were good in patches, but not good enough for long enough I think and Yeah, obviously we're hoping to post a higher total going forward but there's definite positives in there and then with the ball I think obviously the power play kind of got away from us in a way, but to drag it back like we did - something we talked about a lot is to have a lot of grit and determination and so to drag it back like that's extremely pleasing and to end up with as many wickets as we did - Definitely can take a lot of positives.
[Reporter]
Do you feel like there's first game nerves played a part -and in terms of a number of players
For decision-making.
[Orla Prendergast]
I suppose yeah There was probably a few nerves around camp and first game of World Cup and a lot of us haven't played in one before so definitely a few nerves, but I think everyone is ready for it. Everyone was just more excited than anything to get out there.