Steve Smith on his disappointing World Cup ahead of crucial Afghanistan fixture
Steve Smith on his disappointing World Cup ahead of crucial Afghanistan fixture
Transcript
00:00 Steve, I just wondered if you could give us a bit of a reflection on your tournament.
00:05 It strikes me as being quite frustrating.
00:07 You've made 150 on average in 29.
00:09 You look like you've built foundations but haven't been really able to cash in.
00:14 Yeah, no, it's been a little bit disappointing at times.
00:19 I've been in the middle of a few partnerships that have helped build a foundation for sure,
00:24 but yeah, definitely would have liked to have gone on with it a little bit more.
00:28 I've got in on some tricky surfaces.
00:32 Obviously the first one against India was a tricky one.
00:36 The South Africa one where I felt like I was batting nicely, questionable sort of LBW.
00:44 And then got a good one earlier I suppose against Sri Lanka.
00:47 I was batting nicely against Netherlands.
00:51 And then was batting reasonably well the other day against England.
00:54 So yeah, a couple of starts where I would have liked to have gone on with it a little
00:58 bit more, but it wasn't to be.
01:01 But I still feel like I'm hitting the ball quite well.
01:03 So hopefully some runs at the back end of the tournament.
01:07 Steve, Australia have two of the three largest victories in terms of runs, 309 and 275 against
01:16 Netherlands and Afghanistan respectively.
01:18 And this World Cup has seen a lot of one-sided matches with a lot of big wins.
01:24 How do you look at it?
01:25 Is it good for a lot of big margin of wins in terms of runs and also wickets?
01:30 There have been very, very few close contests.
01:34 How do you look at this and is it good for one-day cricket and the 50-hour format?
01:37 And what do you read about these kinds of wins?
01:40 Honestly, I haven't paid too much attention to the deficits.
01:45 It's just been about playing the game.
01:47 And yeah, we've obviously had a couple of big wins, which have been nice for us.
01:52 And yeah, for us, it's just focusing on what we can do out in the middle.
01:57 And we've got a game here tomorrow against Afghanistan, who are a dangerous side on their
02:01 day.
02:02 And yeah, we certainly won't be taking them lightly.
02:03 With that in mind, Afghanistan, and also thinking about your next game against Bangladesh, the
02:04 two teams that you just haven't played a whole lot of one-day cricket against over your career,
02:17 what does that mean from a preparation point of view for you and the team?
02:22 Yeah, I think both sides have some quality spinners in particular, which I think the
02:30 spinners have had pretty big impacts for most teams in those middle overs.
02:34 And we knew that coming into the World Cup, that those middle overs, batting is going
02:39 to be crucial to, I guess, negate the damage as much as possible, build foundations for
02:46 the back end.
02:47 And yeah, it's going to be no different in the next couple of games against some quality
02:51 spinners.
02:52 How are Maxwell and Marsh tracking?
02:56 Good question.
02:57 Not sure.
02:58 I assume Marshy's here.
02:59 He's here at training today.
03:00 And Max is here as well.
03:01 So yeah, I assume they're training.
03:04 And whether they're available tomorrow, I have no idea.
03:07 Can I just ask, when you do get those two back, in terms of one-day teams you've played
03:12 in, Steve?
03:13 That'll be the first time you have a full 15 available.
03:18 How strong is that 11 compared to other ones you've played in your career?
03:25 I don't want to single out any sort of teams.
03:29 I think I've played in some really good teams over the years.
03:31 Obviously, the one in 2015 was a very good one when we won the World Cup at home.
03:35 And this is no different.
03:37 It's a quality side.
03:38 We've got some good people there, some good individuals.
03:43 And we're working collectively as a team at the moment after the first two losses we
03:47 had.
03:48 So we're in a good place.
03:49 We're playing well.
03:50 And hopefully we can keep that up.
03:51 Steve, just as a team as well, in a long tournament like this, do you believe that there is this
03:58 whole thing of peaking at the right time and ticking boxes as you go along?
04:02 Or do you just go one game at a time and say, we need to get into the semifinals, yes.
04:07 But we'll still focus on what we're getting out of each game and then just move on?
04:13 I think you do want to be peaking at the right time at the end.
04:18 But obviously, you need to do enough to make the semifinals.
04:20 And I think that would be the beauty of it if we were able to get there.
04:25 We had a rough start.
04:26 We lost two games.
04:27 And we've gradually, I guess, progressed as we've gone along.
04:30 And there's still areas we can work on.
04:31 So tomorrow is a big game for us.
04:34 I think if we win, we qualify, if that's correct.
04:38 So I think you want to be peaking at the right time for sure.
04:42 And the two teams up top are playing really good cricket, in particular India, who beat
04:47 the second team, South Africa, yesterday pretty convincingly.
04:50 So they're going to be tough to beat.
04:53 There's no doubt about that.
04:55 But I think we're playing some good cricket.
04:57 So hopefully, we can have a good day tomorrow, get ourselves in there and give ourselves
05:01 a chance.
05:02 And just on Manas, how much is he still buzzing from not his innings, but having got the DRS
05:08 right?
05:09 Because he couldn't-- I've never seen him being hugged and embraced as much as he was
05:15 after he got it right.
05:16 He keeps using this saying to me.
05:21 He thinks I talk a lot of rubbish.
05:23 But he goes, even a broken clock's right twice a day.
05:29 I think that works for him yesterday, or the day before.
05:35 But he's got good ears, to be fair.
05:37 He hears a lot of things.
05:38 And he's always confident something's happened.
05:41 So fortunately, he was right on this occasion.
05:44 Hi, Steve.
05:46 You spoke about Afghanistan being a dangerous team.
05:49 And they've sort of notched up a few important wins as well.
05:52 How do you look at their spin threat in particular?
05:54 Obviously, these conditions here are flat pitch and obviously might not suit them that
05:59 much.
06:00 But how do you look at their spin threat in particular?
06:01 No, they're good bowlers and need to be respected at the right times.
06:06 And then we need to be able to put pressure on them at the right times as well.
06:08 So yeah, playing at Wankette, it's historically a high-scoring ground.
06:14 So no, we're going to have to play their spin as well tomorrow.
06:18 There's no doubt about that.
06:20 They're very good bowlers.
06:21 They're smart bowlers.
06:22 And yeah, we're going to have to play them well tomorrow.
06:26 Steve, in the event that Mitch is available, have you been given any indication as to
06:31 whether he will drop back down the order to four?
06:34 I haven't heard anything the last few days, but I assume that's the case as it was before
06:43 whatever happened.
06:44 And then I can't remember where we were.
06:46 It's all blending together.
06:47 But yeah, I assume that's the case.
06:51 And I noticed in this match, it could be you, but you were grimacing a little bit as you
06:54 sat down.
06:55 Are you OK physically?
06:56 Are you all good?
06:57 I've had a bit of vertigo stuff the last day or so.
07:01 So it's just been a bit annoying.
07:03 So hopefully I can get through training today and be all good.
07:07 But yeah, it's not a nice place to be.
07:10 Is that something you battle with a bit or?
07:12 Occasionally.
07:13 I've had a few episodes.
07:14 So I can tell you it's not the funnest space to be in.
07:18 But yeah, I'll go out and have a hit and hopefully be OK and we'll see how we go.
07:25 Just maybe a word on Pat Cummins' captaincy so far.
07:28 You've done a lot of 50-over captaincy yourself, but he hasn't necessarily.
07:32 What have you made of his approach so far?
07:35 I think he's improved as it's sort of gone on.
07:38 He's got the tempos of the game.
07:40 He's understanding the pace of the game a lot more.
07:43 And like I said, he hasn't done it a lot.
07:45 So he's sort of working into it.
07:47 But I think he's done a terrific job after we were particularly 2-0, 0-2, to get us in
07:52 the position where we are now.
07:53 He's doing a great job.
07:54 And yeah, we're right behind him.
07:56 And hopefully we can play well for him tomorrow.
08:01 Hello, Steve.
08:04 Given how strong Cricket Australia were in cancelling the Afghanistan series earlier
08:08 this year, are you surprised to be playing this match?
08:11 Because the reason they gave at the time with regards to the tab doesn't seem to have changed
08:16 at all.
08:17 Yeah, I mean, it's far above my pay grade.
08:21 We obviously played against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup at home recently.
08:27 And yeah, we're playing tomorrow.
08:29 So it's not a question for me.
08:31 That's far above my pay grade.
08:33 Can I just ask, what's impressed you about the Afghanistan team's performances at this
08:37 World Cup particularly?
08:39 I think they've won some key moments in games against some good teams.
08:44 And clearly their spinners are a big threat.
08:48 They're quality bowlers.
08:49 And they've got some batters, particularly at the top of the order, that are taking the
08:53 game on and can take it away from you.
08:55 So no, they're a good side.
08:58 And I think they've come a long way in the last five or six years.
09:02 So I think they're a tough side and you've got to play well to beat them.
09:06 Thank you.
09:07 Steve, quite a few wins off late have come defending big totals.
09:11 Will there be any insistence on batting second and chasing in tough conditions that have
09:16 been in here in Mumbai?
09:18 And another word, if you can, on Adam Zampa's performance in the World Cup?
09:21 Sorry, what was the first question?
09:24 A lot of wins off late for Australia have come by defending totals.
09:28 So will there be any insistence on batting second and trying to have a bowl first and
09:33 trying to limit opposition?
09:34 And your assessment of Zampa's performance throughout the World Cup?
09:39 I mean, firstly, yeah, I'm not sure.
09:41 I think this ground, you know, we've seen South Africa scored 400-odd, I think, batting
09:47 first.
09:49 It can be a very good chasing ground.
09:50 So we've got to sum a few things up, obviously, before we make that decision.
09:56 But then, yeah, we'll see how we go.
09:59 And Zampa, I think he's progressed beautifully throughout this tournament.
10:04 I thought he bowled beautifully the other night.
10:06 You know, to be fair, England batters probably didn't put him under as much pressure as we
10:10 thought they might have done.
10:13 But I thought he controlled his length and his pace beautifully and is probably as good
10:18 as I've seen him bowl, to be fair.
10:20 And didn't he just have a good day out with that ball and in the field?
10:24 Yeah, it was a special day for him and, yeah, pleased to see.
10:28 Steve, just getting back to your vertigo and the big blink just then, does that leave you
10:34 in some doubt for tomorrow?
10:35 Do you have to get through the game and wake up all right or do you usually pull up okay?
10:39 No, I think I'll be okay.
10:42 Yeah, I'm not feeling great at present, but, you know, I'll have a hit and see how we go.
10:48 So hopefully all good.
10:49 And with the Afghan spinners, you guys haven't seen a lot of Afghans in Bangladesh.
10:56 Is there anything in particular that you guys need to study up on or take more notice of
11:00 than you might previously?
11:02 I think a lot of the guys have been watching a lot of the games that have been played and,
11:08 you know, we've seen a lot of their bowlers playing around the world in different tournaments
11:12 and know what they're capable of doing.
11:14 So, yeah, they're some good bowlers and, yeah, as I said, we're going to have to respect
11:19 them at times, try and put pressure on them at times and get that balance right.
11:23 Steve, the other day against England, Adam Zampa ticked all the boxes we had batting,
11:30 bowling and fielding.
11:31 And now how are teams looking at him as a batter and how Adam Zampa is now practicing
11:36 his batting shots and all?
11:38 He might try and get himself up the order or something, I don't know.
11:43 No, look, he's - over the years I've seen him play a few different innings where he's
11:48 helped the team out for sure.
11:51 I think the guys were talking in the sheds the other day when he was batting well about
11:54 a domestic game he played against Queensland where he got - might have got like 40 or 20
12:00 balls or something like that and was hitting Billy Stanlake, like lapping him and things
12:05 like that.
12:06 So he's got all the shots, he's got it all in the shed and, yeah, it was good to see
12:11 come out the other day when we probably needed it.