27 March - Christchurch - South Africa player Mignon du Preez post-match press conference
Reporter: Can you just talk to us a little bit about the range of emotions that you would have gone through maybe from just the chase of how tight it was getting, and from the run outs and then through to looking like the game was kind of won, and into the no ball wickets and into being back up there getting the job done. I mean, you've played a lot of cricket for this team. But it must be quite something going through that kind of range of emotions.
Mignon: Yeah, definitely. I think the best word would be a roller coaster right – there were lots of ups and downs. Yeah, I think myself and Kappy was going really well. So we kind of thought that between the two of us if we can take it as deep as possible we know what Chloe can do. And then I mean, as soon as Chloe came in, she made it look quite easy. And then getting out again, it's like you just mentioned, it just goes up and down all the time. But yeah, I mentioned it in the first match it was really quite - I didn't know that it was no ball. So obviously felt that I'd let the team down because I could have - we only needed a run a ball - so I could have probably just tried to hit it on the ground. It didn't go where I wanted, I was targeting straight over the bowlers head and I dragged it little but yeah, it got a little bit of luck on my side finally, I haven't felt that I had luck throughout the tournament just yet. So got a little bit of luck and I mean it was quite special to be there to the end and to get over the line.
Reporter: Just a word on the attitude of the team. Obviously coming into this game you knew that you'd secured second place in the semifinal spot, but you went out there and you fought for a victory against a team that really needed to win.
Mignon: Yeah Thank you very much. I think for us it was about fine tuning and we know how important momentum in a tournament like this can be for us. Obviously, we lost the game against Australia and then we had rained out game, so we haven't actually had another win under the belt in recent time. So for us to – we knew this was important for us going into the back end of the tournament to get a bit of momentum. And so we definitely wanted to play to our standards and do the best we can and I think we did just that today.
Reporter: I guess you would know that as the senior batter in the team your numbers in this World Cup and maybe for the last – this year already have had not been what you would have wanted. Were you under pressure and how did it feel to you that you needed to contribute in a very big game?
Mignon: Yeah, obviously from a personal point of view, I was really disappointed with the way I performed recently. But I must say that I've been very fortunate that I've had the backing from the whole team all the way through. So I think that kind of helped a little bit just to ease the pressure but you get support and like that you haven't performed the way you should. So from my point of view, I definitely wanted to contribute. But that being said, it's about stepping up in big moments and when the team needed me most and I think even the other day against West Indies, I had a little bit of my grief back and yeah, it was just good to finally contribute so close to the semifinals. I think it's not how you started the tournaments, but how you finish it.
Reporter: I just wanted to ask, in many ways, the innings that you played the match the way it went, it was very similar to the match against England and that 20-20 T20 World Cup - You were there in the middle, in the last over - at any point of time through the course of the innings were you feeling that – were you always confident that you're going to take this home? What was the frame of mind that you were in through the last over or so?
Mignon: I think I mean, recent times I have actually performed quite good in T20 tournament - if we had to chase it in a T20 competition - 160 I mean, that's about par these day. So I think definitely playing in T20 cricket quite often around the world. It's made us used to chasing high totals and I think we always knew we’re in with a shot especially with somebody like Chloe on the side. So for us, I think when I was battling with Marizanne - we just said if we can keep it 8, I mean, for us – if you needed eight in a T 20 in the last over you would be happy to get it. So we just said if we can just try and keep the run right at that we know that we've got power hitters and Chloe can always bring it back. And I think that's exactly what Chloe did. She brought it back to a run a ball. And when she went out - just about actually at that time, you didn't need to do anything fancy anymore. We just actually had to get bat on ball. I nearly got us into trouble by trying still to go for the boundary option and then try keep showing intent but luckily, it turned out in my favor.
Reporter: Just in terms of your forms, obviously that's a tick box for South Africa going to the semifinals but also a lot of good coming in at three, we know what a problem that's been for the team throughout the competition. How much confidence does lower attack and the team take from such a performance?
Mignon: Definitely a lot of confidence and we know that we haven't just clicked like we would have wanted but we all knew that these players are just too good to not score. So we knew that their time would come just around the corner. I was quite sad to see her get out at 49 I felt like she did really well and deserved the 50 and also I mean your Laura Wolvaardt has been fantastic throughout the competition – I actually felt like she should be here tonight because I think she scored her 80 runs at a run a ball and she really actually deserved the player of the match.
She's been fabulous throughout the competition. But yeah, I think at the moment now all the batters are starting to fire just at the right time. Yeah, so hopefully, we can take it one step further this year win that semifinal and make it to the final.
Reporter: England is next. They started off poorly with three consecutive losses then four wins - a team that you shouldn't be taking lightly especially in the playoffs?
Mignon: Yeah, definitely. I mean, we've said it from the start that there is no team that you can take lightly at a World Cup I think - we've seen the way Bangladesh have played - how Pakistan has played. Yeah, we know that England haven't been at their best and we've met them in a World Cup semifinal and we don't have the best memories of that. So we're very keen to change it this time around and try and be the ones that comes out on top. But that being said, like you mentioned, we can't take them lightly. But for us, I think throughout this competition, the biggest focus has been just to focus on us and doing our basics well and identify the areas where we want to improve rather than focusing too much on opposition.
Reporter: Just a word on Jhulan and Mithali who both end their careers with this match.
Mignon: Yeah, I'm quite sad for them because I mean they've both had splendid careers, and I feel like they deserve probably to finish on a high and it's not the nicest thing if you don't make it through to the semifinals, but I think both of them have been such good role models for the women's game and I think they can walk away with their heads held high and knowing that they made a difference in women's cricket and I just want to wish them all the best for their future endeavors. They've definitely put women’s cricket on the map and thank you for that.
Reporter: The number three position has been a concern throughout the league stage with Goodall supporting Laura, do you think the number three position is solved now heading into the semis?
Mignon: Look I'm just a player. I'm not part of the selection committee so that would be up to them. But I do think she definitely put her hand up and showed what she can do. But all in all, that being said, that's good - I'm just a player. It's out of my hands.
Reporter: Just one of the things that was really noticeable about your knock today was that you appeared so much more still at the crease, less fidgety if I can say that. Was that something that you consciously worked on? Was there something that you were working on in the nets or do you think it was just a reflection of your state of mind going into today?
Mignon: I think that what got me in trouble in the first few games was I felt like I got stuck at the crease actually. I'm really good when I use my feet and when I'm busy at the crease, I think I kind of lost that trying in the first few games and to just get myself in and I decided for the last bit I'm just going to actually have positive intent - number one. Whether that is good foot movement, good just putting the bowler under pressure. It might not be looking to hit it over the top but just actually get to the ball show good intent, and I think it definitely paid off even in the game against the West Indies. That was the mindset to not - just get to the ball and be positive. And I think it's working for me at the moment.
Reporter: You had memorably stepped up in that game against England in the 2020 T20 World Cup? Would you sort of say that this was a perfect sort of segue leading into the semies and how you have connected the your performances in two crunch games, which had literally consequentiality as far as South Africa's fortune in the tournament goes, but would you sort of agree that this was a perfect sort of lead into this tournament from the T20 World Cup?
Mignon: Yeah, definitely. Runs is always good and cricket is such a confidence game, so I'll definitely take confidence from that. But I still feel there's a few areas that I would like to work on a little bit of - there's always room for improvement. But all in all, from the start I had in the tournament, and I think I mentioned it before, it's not how you start, it’s how you finished - So I would definitely want to finish this tournament on a high and hopefully I can continue.
Reporter: The thing is that Dane had said it before the she's not a good watcher of the game. She can't watch it from the sidelines, but she has said it multiple times that she would trust you to do it for South Africa - A message for a skipper?
Mignon: Just thanks Dane - it's nice to know that you've got people that backs you and I listened to her interview where they spoke about -that your form is temporary but thoughts is permanent. And that was something that that was really heartfelt. And I think if I could make her proud, it's nice to know that although she's not good on the side that she still backs me, and that I can take the team all the way.