Here’s Rob Walter’s full transcript ahead of the Super 8 clash between England and New Zealand
(Reporter:)
So what’s the atmosphere like in the camp after last night?
(Rob Walter:)
I mean obviously a nice chip. There was a moment in the game when we were kind of good behind it. And then it took a pretty special partnership on the back end to really get into the game. We always talk about momentum, but there was probably a significant momentum shift in the game. And then I thought the guys bowled exceptionally well and fielded exceptionally well. So it’s hard not to feel pretty good after a win like that, but it’s just one win on the road and a few more to come.
(Reporter:)
How much strength does it give you to see the first half of your innings go so badly, but to know that the mental strength is there and also the skill to completely turn the game around from there?
(Rob Walter:)
Yeah, I think there were times throughout the competition where we were under pressure fairly early in our innings and guys found a way to put scores on the board or get down. Obviously, it’s very nice when it’s the lower order that can do it. When I say lower order I say it with great respect for the skills of Mitch and Cole who I think are showing that they are excellent cricketers. And I think there’s a certain psychology from a batting perspective where you can trust the middle to lower order and know that if you get into trouble, they can pull you out.
(Reporter:)
Do you think there is a difference even subconsciously that you need to win to qualify or maybe you need to win to qualify to guarantee qualification but England have already wrapped up qualification? Could it make a difference even at a low level?
(Rob Walter:)
Probably not. I guess some history tells you that you can’t always win with Super 8. I mean of course there are some teams that have already found their way to the semi-finals, England being one of them. But for us, we tried to emphasize every game. I think that’s probably a cliché that all teams use. It’s not doom, we’re not dead if we don’t win, but we’re certainly leaving it up to external factors and our own hands, so we certainly don’t want to be in that position. But he really takes care of the ball-by-ball process and hopefully that takes care of the result.
(Reporter:)
I dare say you haven’t been watching it under a microscope or anything, but in the UK everyone is talking about Jos Butler and his form, his low scores. Did it surprise you?
(Rob Walter:)
I don’t think you would ever doubt Jose Butler’s quality. He has enough numbers behind his name to suggest he is one of the best batsmen in England. But we know that all batsmen are likely to find space in their careers somewhere where there is peace. And sometimes a single knock is all it takes to change that. Hopefully it won’t be tomorrow, but no one will ever doubt his qualities and neither will we.
(Reporter:)
All I can say is that in conclusion we can talk about the center middle as a batting force, we all know how great he is with the ball, how much he has been through in the last couple of years, but does his batting really seem to have developed as well? Last night and during the tour when we were in New Zealand, the last white-ball tour in November, I think it was, can you just talk about how much work he’s put into it and the power he has with the bat these days?
(Rob Walter:)
I suppose it’s like everything with Mitch. It’s a bit underrated and flies under the radar. And another thing he got four for nothing or scored 70 for nothing. And that’s him, he’s just got amazing skills but he’s underrated, he doesn’t draw any attention to himself but he delivers and all summer, to be fair, he performed under pressure when the team was under pressure. So it’s great to have a guy with skills. He is a proper batsman. There is no doubt about it. When you look at the range of skills he showed last night and he’s shown on numerous occasions that he’s a terrific batsman, he’s got a lot of power and finds it pretty effortlessly. So yeah, I mean, I’ve been trying to get him to bat higher, but obviously we’ve got a strong batting unit and he’s also reluctant to replace anybody, he’s quite comfortable where he is, which is great.
(Reporter:)
Just in terms of the bowling unit leading into yesterday’s game, you were all at the bottom of the table in terms of wickets taken in this World Cup. I think you only had 14 goals in your matches. Was it a topic of conversation during the build? And if so, what was said about it?
(Rob Walter:)
No, I don’t think it was ever discussed. I think the press is supposed to do that. At the end of the day, it is the sum of its parts. You are all there together trying to win cricket. And in some games where we didn’t get the full set of 10 goals, we still won the game. That’s how we managed to reduce it. And in T20 cricket, sometimes the limitation is as valuable as the wickets. So from our point of view, taking goals is just the final process of performing the skill, right? So for us it’s about trying to do that. It’s about reacting to the conditions, understanding what we need to do as a bowling unit and then collectively doing it really. And if it’s a team down seven, or all, or two, if we win the game, it’s really irrelevant.
(Reporter:)
And just in terms of problem solving, we saw yesterday how the field changed and you all adapted on the fly and obviously you all managed to get a lot of runs towards the end. How confident are you in your side’s problem-solving ability, given the different surfaces you’ll be up against, and how important do you think that is as a T20 unit going forward?
(Rob Walter:)
I think if you look at the Black Caps historically, you’d probably say they’re a great problem-solving team, they’re street smart, they find a way to understand the conditions quickly. It’s certainly something we’re proud of. And when you’re on a subcontinent and there are different types of soil on the same block, you have to deal with different conditions all the time. And that’s the beauty of the game of cricket, isn’t it? Like nothing will ever be the same. And so we want to remain a party that reacts quickly. We can quickly adapt to conditions and find a way. And that won’t change. That won’t change all the time.
(Reporter:)
Did you see when you watched him play the other day, what did you do, if so, what did you do about Harry Brooks’ innings and how it complicates that he may or may not come in at three?
(Rob Walter:)
I mean, first off, it was an amazing shift. I think everyone has been talking and writing about it. There is no doubt that he is a great player. Obviously he scored 100 goals against us in New Zealand. So we are well aware of its quality. To be honest, where in the order it comes in is probably irrelevant. You still have to roll it, whether it’s on the first turn or the 15th turn. So yeah, the batting orders can be a bit over the top at times and I think whatever decision they make will be ready for it.
(Reporter:)
And just very quickly, you two sides know each other very well, you have played together very often. England have a lot of New Zealand coaches from New Zealand. Tim Sowdey, who was recently in the New Zealand squad, obviously didn’t make much of a difference in the ODI series in New Zealand in October, but what advantage could he give England in the build-up to this match?
(Rob Walter:)
I mean, to be honest, I think we’ve said it a few times, there aren’t many secrets left in this cricket world cup these days. Our players are largely part of different leagues around the world and there are many English players with them. So like you said, we’ve been playing against each other quite a bit lately, but also playing with each other. So I think it’s very clear what each side will bring. The thing that’s different is what’s happening out there, and that’s the pitch and the conditions, and it’s the side that reacts to that the quickest and they’re likely to get the upper hand if they execute their skills well. So inside Intel I don’t think it will win or lose the game.
