3 July - Chester-le-Street - New Zealand captain Kane Williamson post-match press conference
Q. Greetings, Kane. Can you explain the strategy around the run chase today? Was it based on net run rate or...
KANE WILLIAMSON: No, no, we were trying to obviously win the game, but we didn't do a very good job of it and it was a tough one, really. With the ball, we probably didn't -- well, we didn't start off great, but naturally Bairstow and Roy are playing really, really nicely and they put away everything and put us under a lot of pressure.
And then I think we saw that at the halfway stage the wicket did change considerably and we were able to then perhaps pull back what was looking like a much larger total, which was a good effort and a positive for us.
But, you know, going into that second half we just needed a couple of big partnerships, certainly from the top order and it wasn't there. And, you know, by no means was it an easy surface to try and gain momentum but at the same time it was important as a batting unit we were able to try and take the game to a position where you might give yourself a chance to win it, but we weren't able to do that.
So moving forward it is important that we try and learn as a group individually as well with some of the experiences we have had in the last week and hopefully be better for it, hopefully, for our next game, but we will see.
Q. Kane, that's three games in a row where the batting has been pretty disappointing. What positives, if any, can you take out of the last three games in that regard?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, I think the experiences that we have had on some fairly tough surfaces are really important learnings to I guess take note of and try and be better for having had that experience.
Saying that, obviously it would be nice to be more successful in those situations, but, you know, we have seen wickets throughout the tournament change, be very variable in terms of their characteristics, and even change within a game.
Having said that, I don't want to take anything away from the way that the England side played. They outplayed us regardless of conditions today and fully deserve their win.
But for us we are thinking about our cricket and where we can improve and, without a doubt, it's trying to take smarter options on some of these tougher surfaces.
And none of it really matters now because we are potentially moving on to another surface where, if it is tough, we do need to take some of these lessons forward. If not, we need to go out and play with freedom on what might be a better surface.
Q. Could you believe your luck with that run-out?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Luck, or lack of (smiling)?
Q. What did you think of it?
KANE WILLIAMSON: It is one of those things, isn't it? I mean, there were a couple of run-outs and one down the leg-side which certainly isn't the best way to start things off in terms of a tough run chase.
But, you know, once again, the English bowlers put us under pressure and I don't know whether that run-out came from that, but, you know, it's one of those things so you move on.
Everybody coming in trying to play their role as best they can is what's important and today there were some glimpses and it was great for the likes of Tom Latham to spend some time in the middle and other guys spend brief moments as well. But we do need to try and take partnerships longer and deeper in terms of making them more significant.
Q. Kane, Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy have the best strike rate of any openers in ODI history, but also the highest average partnership of any openers that have played, I think 30 innings by about 15 runs. Is there any opening pair in world cricket that present a challenge that they do?
KANE WILLIAMSON: I'm pretty sure you told me there isn't (laughter).
They've been awesome getting their team off to a brilliant start and, you know, their threats go a long way down their order and that's one of the strengths of the England side, the balance and depth they have in all departments.
Q. Kane, in terms of pace and hostility, how does Jofra Archer compare with some of other guys you have faced in this tournament?
KANE WILLIAMSON: He is a very nice bowler in terms of easy on the eye. When you are at the other end it is more challenging, but he ambles in almost to the crease and then he's got a really nice snap of his wrist and generates really good pace.
I have played against him in other competitions and he's obviously been extremely effective and a world-class performer so, you know, without a doubt a great addition to any team, but obviously to the England side in this tournament for sure.
Q. Kane, you have a few days off now before that semifinal. Do you reset the complete campaign and try and start again?
KANE WILLIAMSON: In some ways, that kind of happens on its own if you are in a knockout stage where it's the semifinal opportunity where certainly on the day anything can happen. And we know from our perspective that we haven't put out our best performance yet and we know when we do that without a doubt gives us the best chance of beating anybody.
So it is important for us to perhaps have a couple of days away. We sort of have a bit of a break now. Well, we still don't know what's happening, do we?
If we are fortunate to be in a semifinal, then we do have a little bit of a break and we need guys to come back together in terms of our first training and have that freshness to go out and play with the freedom that we know when we do that does allow us to play our best cricket.
So there's a few parts to it but after the round-robin it does start fresh to a certain extent because on the day anything can happen.
Q. You talked about the wicket over here...
KANE WILLIAMSON: Sorry, I can't see your mouth.
Q. A ventriloquist. You talked about the wicket changing at the innings break. But it seemed to change as soon as Roy and Bairstow were out. Did they just play out of their skin or did the wicket change that much that quickly?
KANE WILLIAMSON: It probably changed about sort of the halfway stage of the England innings, but it's also one of those things, they played extremely well and when they do have momentum, often it can be a big challenge regardless of the surface to stop.
So they put us under a lot of pressure and hit through the line nicely, but I think, as we saw, that became a lot harder to do when guys, other guys came out to bat later on, and it allowed us to stem the flow.
Naturally, they were in a very strong position looking at sort of a large 300 score, who knows. But we did pull it back by bowling cutters into the surface which were much less responsive earlier.
So it was one of those things. But they, obviously, still had a very strong total on the board knowing the way that the wicket changed.
But from our perspective with the bat, regardless of whether you get across the line or not, the importance of trying to build partnerships, adapt to conditions to take the game to a stage to give yourself a chance is what was important and what wasn't there today.
Q. How do you defend against Roy and Bairstow in the first ten overs given the restrictions and everything and their record?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Well, I mean, the stats that were thrown at me before, I don't know if there is an answer. Taking early wickets against anybody that you come up against is the best way to stem momentum and, as we have seen, the wickets have changed a lot, so you get on a surface that is a bit harder to hit through the line, then perhaps it's not as free-flowing and we know when those two -- and a number of others in their line-up to be fair -- are going they can be very difficult to stop, especially on very good surfaces which generally we do see over in England.
So it is a challenge, but I guess trying to be aggressive with the ball in hand to give yourself the opportunity to take those wickets I think is the best way to try and stop, I guess, anybody from getting away on you.
But those guys have been playing beautifully well for a long time. But certainly, in this tournament, as well, under I guess different sorts of pressure, so a big weapon for them at the top of the order.
Q. You kept giving chances to Colin Munro and now you have gone to Henry Nicholls and Martin Guptill, would he definitely play? And how do you see the opening situation, what is your thought for the semifinal?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, we have a number of days before we have to think about perhaps those sorts of things, but I guess Henry's come in and has only had a couple of knocks and, unfortunately today, I think it was going over the top which is one of those things. So there are a number of parts to that, I guess, batting innings which wasn't ideal from our perspective. But we know he's a very good player and Martin Guptill we know that when he's on, he is one of the best players in the world.
So trying to get that freedom from the batting line-up is, I think, what's really important. Certainly, if we get on a surface that is a good one, to go out there and take it on. We kind of haven't been faced with that throughout this tournament so far and there's been a lot of scrappy sort of innings which has been important for us to get wins, but we haven't had the free-flowing nature of batting which we probably expected coming into the tournament but we are maybe faced with that if we are in a semifinal and if the wickets are different.
So just having that open mind where guys can try and perhaps put a line in the sand from round-robin play and look to go out and take on a semifinal, which is what will be a great occasion.
Q. Kane, just how difficult is it for a batsman who is out of form and is coming up against new surfaces and new teams every game, there is no continuity that way?
KANE WILLIAMSON: Yeah, you know, batting has a number of different challenges and adapting to conditions is one. And, I guess, often when you haven't spent time in the middle you are looking to feel good and I think on a lot of these surfaces, that's been something that's been very difficult to do, even when you have had time in the middle.
So removing a lot of those thoughts and perhaps bringing that mindset back to "What can I do for the team" rather than "How can I feel good" or "How can perhaps I do this or that", it is "What can I maybe do to compliment the side and put them in a position of strength" and that is something that is really important within our environment.
And we know the guys are certainly working really hard to do that. But it has been very challenging and I think we've all seen it, so it is important that when we hopefully go on to perhaps get another opportunity (smiling) as a side that we go out and take that match on, play with freedom, which is very important for us to play our best cricket, but also play cricket smart because we don't know what the surface has in store for us.
Q. Will Lockie be alright for the semifinal? Did you miss him today?
KANE WILLIAMSON: I always miss Lockie, he is a good man (smiling). He's been outstanding throughout this whole tournament and a real point of difference for us in terms of the way he compliments our bowling attack and coming in and bowling at 150 naturally is a great weapon to have.
So did we miss him? Yes, he's been so successful in the last eight games but, saying that, potentially we'd miss him more if we didn't have him hopefully in another game's time.
He should be fine. It's a fairly minor injury, sort of a light hamstring thing, so he should be okay, we have a number of days between now and that game potentially.
