00:00Good morning. With CSQ, you've been here. It's like a home run for you. You're very well aware of the conditions. So that'll come in handy for you to start the campaign in the World Cup?
00:10Yeah, it's nice to be back. That's for sure. Spent a lot of time here, as you said. Yeah, just had a good talk to the groundsman. So, again, I think we've seen, you know, that pitch at Chennai has changed a little bit over the time. My kind of first few years, it was really spinny and really slow, which was very nice for a spinner.
00:28But the last couple of years, it's been nice and flat, especially IPL. So, again, for us, it's seeing what it looks like tomorrow. And then, yeah, but I think it'll be pretty good wicket.
00:38Will your attack be spin-oriented? I mean, wickets, you know, help spin. So, I think your attack will be spin-oriented more?
00:45Yeah, I guess looking at it there, it had a little bit more grass on than I've seen, especially at IPL time. So, I think whatever, it just looks like a pretty good wicket, I think.
00:53So, you know, there'll be a bit of both for us. Hopefully, there's a bit of bounce as well.
01:01Mitch, last time's 2024 World Cup, the prep came under a lot of scrutiny. That happened. This time, it's been picture-perfect, though.
01:11You know, 5 T20s against India. How's the prep been so far?
01:14Yeah, it's been good. I guess it was a great series against India for us. Like you said, no better preparation than playing India in a World Cup, you know, when the conditions are, you know, like we're going to get.
01:27So, yeah, it was obviously a challenging series for us. But, again, there was a lot of good stuff that came out. We know how India are going to play now, which is aggressive.
01:36But, no, it was cool. It was, and again, we got to play in front of, you know, fans that we love doing.
01:42You know, we're playing on some different grounds. So, every ground was full, which was cool to see.
01:47But we had a couple of good days in Mumbai as well. So, now, I guess we're ready for tomorrow.
01:53And does the team pay a lot of attention to terms such as group of death, et cetera, with three big teams and only two going through?
01:59I guess we're used to it now. Same as last time.
02:01But, again, I think, you know, you look at both, you know, every team in this pool, but especially Afghanistan, South Africa, obviously great teams.
02:10We've seen Afghanistan's recent success, not against us only, but, you know, throughout that last World Cup, even bilateral series now, they're a very strong team.
02:19So, we know that going into tomorrow and we've got to be on if we want to, you know, get past them.
02:24And all 15 available for selection and no injury scares now?
02:28I think we do have all 15, which is nice, because that warm-up game, we thought we were going to field nine at one stage.
02:34So, no, I think we're ready to go, which is good.
02:39During the Indian series, what are the errors you have identified?
02:47Yeah, I think, again, we were challenged with the ball, especially at the start.
02:54You know, the way Kishan, Sandra, a little bit as well, but obviously Abhishek, you know, the way they came out in the power play.
03:01So, I think that's going to be a theme throughout this World Cup is teams, you know, if you get off to a flyer in the power play, you're going to put yourself in a pretty good position.
03:08So, I think on the flip side of the ball, it's how can you take two, three wickets early and really slow teams down, I think, depending on surfaces.
03:16I think Sri Lanka will play slightly different to India, you know, the conditions as well.
03:21So, you know, if you do get a flat one, it's identifying that with the bat, trying to cash in at the top.
03:26And then with the ball, it's, you know, still trying to take wickets as much as you can.
03:31Mitch, hi.
03:32Just, you know, New Zealand, obviously, one of several teams, you know, trying to manage hybrid contracts, getting players in after their commitments with franchise cricket.
03:41Just how do you, what kind of a challenge does that, you know, bring in?
03:46Yeah, I guess it's a challenge that has to be managed.
03:50You know, I guess for World Cups, you want your best team on the park.
03:54So, what that looks like, it's, but again, it's, you know, guys, giving guys opportunities to play cricket elsewhere, you know, high quality cricket, which is a good thing, whether it's South Africa, whether it's Big Bash.
04:07But then also giving the guys suitable time to prep for a World Cup, making sure the body's fresh.
04:12So, you know, I think the guys who have come from Australia, from wherever, South Africa, have had, you know, time in India already, you know, to lead.
04:22And so it's ideal, I think, that I guess how two years ago the preparation came under scrutiny was because it was straight off the IPL and guys didn't have, you know, whether they were playing or not a lot of time to prep.
04:34But, yeah, I guess this time around, it's been a good preparation at least.
04:41Mitch, this thing.
04:42Mitch, you just spoke about that, getting off in the power place, off to a flyer.
04:50In that sense, would you tell us a bit about the addition of Tim Seifert and Finn Allen, how much that goes in that way?
04:57Yeah, I think the, you know, as we've seen kind of throughout the India series and Finn obviously at the Big Bash, yeah, I think, you know, both of them can obviously hit sixes with ease.
05:08But it's about playing the conditions, playing the opposition, and I think, you know, there's smarts that go with them too as well, which when they're back together, it's, you know, it's cool to see.
05:18You know, even if it's, you know, I think you identify match-ups and try to go from there.
05:23So I think, you know, it will be no different tomorrow.
05:26See where the threats are, see what, you know, the options they want to take, and then just giving them the freedom to go out there and bat.
05:36Mitch, just to follow up on Tim Seifert and the way he bats, he's kind of like 360, does a lot of trick shots.
05:44You've been with him since the Northern District days and stuff, so is that something he trains behind the scenes, or is it all instinct for him?
05:52Yeah, I think he's definitely developed a few more shots, but he's always had, you know, the 360-ish element of his game.
06:01And I think as a, you know, all bowlers will agree when you're bowling against guys who can hit everywhere, especially in the power play, it's a challenge.
06:08You know, where you put your two men out, what's your best ball to bowl?
06:12I know teams like to set up with wide, fine legs, and then you start scooping, and then guys have to change.
06:18So it makes it a challenge.
06:20So I think the combination with Finn as well, he hits, you know, different areas to Seif.
06:25So for us, you know, if those two can get us off, you know, to a good start, it will put our, I guess, middle order into a pretty good position anyway.
06:35Hey Mitch, like, Duff is playing his first World Cup.
06:38Like, he's been a very important bowler for your team, bowling the top and tail.
06:42Very few bowlers do that these days.
06:43So can you just talk about the skills and traits that make him so important to do the top and tail job?
06:49Yeah, I think when you come to subcontinent or India, you know, you don't see as much kind of lateral movement off the pitch.
06:57So I think swing and bounce is very important.
07:00So Duffy, you know, if he's got the ball swinging, he's a challenge for batters.
07:05So I guess for us, we've got, you know, all our fast bowlers give us different options.
07:10You know, Lockie's got more pace and swing.
07:13Jamison can swing at both.
07:15Matt Henry can nip it.
07:16Duffy can swing it.
07:17So for us, it's, you know, choosing the match-ups that we think are, you know, going to be best for us going forward.
07:22But Duff, you know, he likes to choose the hard overs.
07:25It's good for me.
07:26It makes my job easier.
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