South Africa is making their maiden appearance in a World Cup final, Meg Lanning said that Australia and South Africa will start the summit clash at Newlands Cape Town on Sunday, and added that the winner of the match will be the team that holds the nerve best.
When it comes to appearances in the World Cup finals, Australia has experience on its side. Meg Lanning’s team will be competing for their sixth T20 championship in the eighth season of the competition.
Although South Africa is making their maiden appearance in a World Cup final, Lanning said that both teams will start the summit clash at Newlands, Cape Town on Sunday, and added that the winner of the match will be the team that holds the nerve best.
“I think it’d be pretty even in terms of how, you know, how much each team wants to win. Yeah, there’s no doubt about that. You know, we’re both the same, we want to win the World Cup, as much as South Africa does. So, I think it comes down to holding your nerve under pressure and executing your skills as best you can when the pressure’s on. And that’s, that’s where it’s going to be decided,”
said Lanning at the pre-match press conference on Saturday (February 25).
“The two semi-finals were incredible games. You know, some high heart rates out there, I think, both on the field and off the field, and would have been some incredible viewing for the fans out there. And hopefully, it’s the same again tomorrow. We’re expecting a very close game. And yeah, there’s going to be moments of momentum with us and with South Africa as well. And it’s just about riding those waves. And then when you get the opportunity to put the foot down, you know, we need to make sure we’re ready to take that,”
she said.
Lanning also talked about the great fast bowling line-up that South Africa possesses, and about the scope for improvement for Australia’s attack which was put under pressure by Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues in the semifinal which the World Champions won by five runs.
“No doubt their pace attack is right up there with the best in the world, they’ve got some world-class players and they showed the other day how effective they can be, it’s their home conditions, they understand them well and what works and what doesn’t. So we’ve spoken a little about them and how we think they’re going to bowl and how we’re going to combat that – so we feel confident in our planning,”
said Lanning.
“But we have to go out there and adjust and execute as best we can and from a bowling point of view, I think we’ve got a little bit of improvement in us from the semi-final, again, we know the conditions now and what works and our bowling group has been fantastic throughout the whole tournament so we’re planned and we’re ready to execute as best we can and I feel like if we can do that then I have full belief that we’ll be able to get the job done,”
she added.
However, South Africa captain Sune Luus said they will look for their biggest strength in the competition their pace attack to perform against the best batting line-up in what she also believed was a contest among equals.
“I think obviously the pace attack is one of our strongest attacks and it’s one of the strongest attacks in the world. I don’t think we’re going to take that away. Obviously, Australia knows they know what’s coming. We know the batters that are coming. So, it’s going to be – I think it’s going to be a very even contest, you know, the best in the world facing the best in the world as well. So, we do have a strong spinning attack as well. So, I think it’s just going to depend on the day – whose day it is and matchups as well. So, we’ll take it from there,”
Luus said.
The South African team led by Luus is the first senior side both men and women to make it to the final of a World Cup. The skipper stated that in itself should be motivation for the nation to take women’s cricket seriously in the country, and a World Cup title would serve as a cherry on top.
“I think being in the final, I don’t think we can do much more to show the country that women – that we are serious about women’s cricket in this country…obviously winning the final would be the ultimate cherry on the top. But I think just to get into the final for us, I don’t think the country needs more encouragement than that. I think there are a lot of good things that are already come out of this World Cup in this country. I think if you don’t take women’s cricket seriously now, then I guess there’s no hope for whoever you are,”
Luus said.