13 February - Paarl - South Africa player Chloe Tryon post-match press conference
[Reporter]
Chloe, could you tell us a little bit about what you guys discussed after losing to Sri Lanka, other than obviously needing to front up, which I know you've said before. Just how did you reflect on that?
[Chloe]
Look, we spoke about doing the basics right. I felt that we had bowled really well in the first 10 overs against Sri Lanka, and then we kind of lost a little bit. We didn't go to the different options with bowlers, as in bowling variations, stuff like that there. And we felt that we just let it slip a little bit, so we just spoke about making sure we get the ball in hand, attacking the stumps, not leaving the stumps. And yeah, obviously we watched the game earlier here. So, we kind of figured that, you know, it was a little bit up and down the wicket. So, we just said, just try not to leave the stumps and not as bad as basics. We wanted to really get partnerships and get someone in the top four or five back to the end and get us to a score of about 140 plus. So yeah, just basics. We spoke about basics after Sri Lanka. I felt that as a unit, we've been batting really well, and we hadn't started well. So just making sure going to New Zealand, which we knew that was a must-win, just making sure we rectified those basics.
[Reporter]
And just in terms of the WPL auction being today, did you guys watch it? And was there any, do you think it was a distraction or it spurred you on, especially you who got a deal? Just how was that received?
[Chloe]
I was shopping. I don't know about anyone else. Honestly, I'm not too sure what everyone else was doing. I just went out for the day. Yeah, I didn't feel like I needed to watch it. I felt that if it was going to happen, it was going to happen. And I just kind of knew that we had an important game today. So, I didn't want to really look into that until everyone told me on the bus. I think a couple of them were watching on the bus and then they told me the news. Look, it's pretty exciting, but I knew that today was a very important game. So, I kind of made sure my focus was on there. But yeah, I'll probably just, that will probably just sink in once I've finished off today. So yeah.
[Reporter]
Chloe, you guys were a lot better in the field today and led by Sinalo. Is that where it all starts with her behind the stumps and just the energy that she brings to you guys in the field?
[Chloe]
Yeah, no, definitely. If you looked at our tri series before this, our fielding started off really well and we kind of let it slip towards the end of the tri series that we had. And then warm up games as well, we still felt that we could have done a little bit more in the field. Especially in the Sri Lanka game, we had about 25 - 30 runs that went past us. So, we said, just put up what is in the line. And she was really good behind the stumps today. And yeah, it was just nice to see that everything came together today.
[Reporter]
The batting, is that still an area of concern for you guys going forward?
[Chloe]
I don't think it's a concern. I just think that, like I said, we're just not keeping it simple. We kind of know the wicket was going to be a little bit slow, a little bit up and down. And we just kind of needed to take a little bit of responsibility, batting a little bit longer and creating those, getting those partnerships and batting towards the end. And I still felt we were getting out, that's silly. And it's just small things for us. I don't think it's anything to be concerned about. I think we've got a quality batting line up. It's just making sure we put our heads down and really work as hard as we can, especially going towards the back end. Because I felt being in the back end, I thought was 15 - 20 runs short, I needed to stay towards the end. So, it's just small things like that. Just getting those partnerships after the first six into over 12, 13, and then taking it over from there. And we've got a game against Australia where we know we have to play our best. We want to win it. We want to go into Bangladesh very confident. So just making sure we do those small things.
[Reporter]
Chloe, it's only three days since the first game and it's almost impossible to believe that the team played so much better today and you can talk about what you need to do as much as you like, but you've actually got to go out there and do those things. How does that happen? How do you pick yourself up and actually go and play so much better?
[Chloe]
We spoke about it just after the game, the Sri Lankan game. We sat up in the change room and we spoke about everything and we said, we'll leave it here. We have a quick turnaround. We know that we've got to go and make sure that going into the next game, we're doing the right things. And I think everyone came with the mindset today of just working really hard. I know we put up a score of 130 plus, but like I said, I thought it was a little bit short stalled, but every bowler knew what they needed to do and you can sort of see that fire burning in everyone that they wanted it so badly. And obviously it's a bit late now that we didn't start in the first game, but look, the competition is still going on. We still got two really good games coming up. So just making sure we still have that fire burning and kind of being ruthless as a bowling unit.
[Reporter]
In the first game, it was more of a seam attack from your guys and today the spinners came to the fore. Was that a specific plan for New Zealand?
[Chloe]
Yeah, if you looked at the game prior to this, the England game, I think 10 or 11 wickets were spin. We knew that as spinners, we need to take care of that middle period. And we know how attacking their batters are, so we knew we couldn't leave the stumps. We just spoke about attacking the stumps as much as we can, creating dot balls, putting pressure on them and the wickets would come. We didn't go searching for anything. I just think we bowled really well and yeah, just all came together. I think Lara bowled really well today. She set the tone really well and I kind of feel like every bowler that came on just had a plan. It was really good to see and I'm really happy with the performance we had today.
[Reporter]
What was the message from your team prior to this game? Because we saw there was more intent and less errors today.
[Chloe]
I just think playing our game and being positive, going out there and kind of leaving everything there. We've been working really hard. The prep has been really good. So, the message was just go out there and be positive and just take it onto the bowlers. I feel like if you take them onto the bowlers, we can really capitalise as the batting unit. So, I think we still were positive, even though we had like certain errors today and soft dismissals. I still think the girls went out positive and played some really good shots. And yeah, look, we've got a couple of days off now, but just making sure we still go into the next game doing those things, I still feel we can work on those.
[Reporter]
You mentioned Mlaba earlier, just another word on Nonkululeko, you know, she's 22, ranked second on the World T20 Bowling Rankings and keeps producing the goods, - Fantastic.
[Chloe]
Yeah, look, I think she wants to be number one. But look, she works really hard. She's from my hometown, so I work a lot with her when we're home. She bowls a lot. She's just trying to work on the game as much as she can. I love the fire that's burning inside of her. I like how she sets the tone with the ball as well. I feel like as a unit, we really thrive off that, and the bowlers really thrive off that. So, I'm happy to see that she's doing so well. And yeah, I can't wait to see how she does in the next game after this. But look, I'm really excited to see her. Look, she's 22 years old, a young girl. So, it's really nice to see her blossoming in front of me.
[Reporter]
And you know, having set them 133 to one, her getting those first two and the first three overs to put them on two for seven, was that massively important in giving you guys the belief that you can pull it through?
[Chloe]
Yeah, no, definitely. Like I said, she set the tone fast, but we also knew that we needed to stay in it. We didn't want to let our foot off the accelerator in that way. So yeah, she set the tone really well. Like I said, everybody that came in just knew, attack the stumps, let's not look for anything and let's create chances. But yeah, like she set the tone fast and I think everyone that came out just had a really good plan, didn't leave the stumps and was pretty attacking. And I just love the images we had as well in the field and I think the field has backed us up a lot.
[Reporter]
You go against Australia on Saturday, obviously, we know the challenge from a skills point of view, but just what is the mental challenge to face Australia in terms of their record over the years? And what's it like playing in front of a decent crowd, a good crowd every night?
[Chloe]
Yeah, the crowd has been fantastic. We've enjoyed it a lot. I'd like to see everyone coming out and watching us and supporting us. Yeah, we're playing them in PE, obviously, we know it's a very important game. I think the last time we played them in a group game was probably in 2014, if I can remember, I played there, we lost by five, six runs. So yeah, look, it's really important. We know the record; we know how they play and the brand of cricket that they play. So, it's important to make sure that we do our prep well on them. And yeah, we're just going to take in this moment, enjoy this one and then go back into the drawing board and make sure that we are 200% ready to play them.
[Reporter]
I know you said you enjoyed the crowd, but could you just talk a little bit about what it was like out there? These guys don't get to see the team very often. And I mean, they were singing, they were, it looked pretty full, just what did it feel like?
[Chloe]
Look, I've always loved to play in front of people. And look, we're playing in front of our home crowd, which is so nice. And I think to have that backing, to have the supporters out there watching women's cricket, it's amazing to see. And yeah, you always take in that moment, but also, you've got to stay in it as well in the field and make sure you don't trip too much. But it's just very nice to see they came out to support us. And they were with us every single ball, which is fantastic. And we're happy that we can get that win for them today and have a big crowd in PE as well with the band playing probably.