Anrich Nortje, 4 for 7, on South Africa's six wicket world cup win against Sri Lanka
03/06/2024
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
03/06/2024
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York, USA
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00:00 >> You were here last summer for Major League Cricket, got a chance to take part in the
00:07 games in North Carolina and Texas, and I'm curious for your thoughts in terms of how
00:12 the atmosphere in this facility that you experienced today compared to what you experienced last
00:16 summer for the first time coming to the USA.
00:20 >> It's great to be in New York playing cricket.
00:22 It's something I never thought would happen.
00:25 And obviously everything's bigger and better this year with a bigger stadium, bigger crowds.
00:31 It's really nice to see the people coming out.
00:33 The atmosphere was unbelievable today.
00:36 It's not something I think you expect as a cricketer coming to USA.
00:40 And the love and support for cricket is so massive here.
00:43 It's brilliant to see the people come out, even though it's mostly for the opposition.
00:46 But it's great to have them here and to sort of get that vibe.
00:51 But yeah, cricket all in all was great.
00:54 We had some sort of understanding of what to expect from a wicket.
00:58 We weren't sure until we obviously started the game, but it's just great to see how things
01:02 are going and hopefully we can keep this momentum up as a team as well.
01:06 >> What's happened to cricket last summer?
01:09 >> Yeah, to last summer, like I said, I think cricket-wise it's good.
01:13 Cricket-wise last summer was good.
01:15 The quality was good.
01:16 The cricket was good.
01:17 Exactly the same this time around.
01:19 Obviously having international teams probably ups the ante a little bit at the end of the
01:23 day.
01:24 But the cricket in itself, the quality, the facilities, everything's been great so far.
01:31 So nothing, we're used to a lot of different things.
01:34 So I think one or two changes doesn't upset anyone because cricket, there's so many different
01:40 variations and at the end of the day you just sort of have to adapt to what you've got.
01:44 But all in all, I thought conditions, facilities, everything's been brilliant so far.
01:50 And last season.
01:51 >> I was going to say, is that the reflection of someone that's just been playing in the
01:55 IPL where there's 270 being scored?
01:58 It obviously wasn't going to be like that today, was it, on that wicket?
02:00 >> Yeah, it was never going to be like that on that wicket.
02:04 There's a lot more in it for the bowlers.
02:05 I thought there was a lot more bounce, a little bit of variation as well, one or two balls
02:08 staying lower.
02:10 Different bowlers getting different sort of results out the wicket.
02:14 So at the end of the day, yeah, it's really going to be a hell of an effort to get to
02:19 250 or 200 even.
02:21 So I thought the boys bowled really well.
02:25 To be chasing more runs on that wicket would have become tougher and tougher as we go along.
02:30 So great to the guys who were opening and in that middle phase as well to just knock
02:35 the runs off as quick as possible.
02:37 >> As a bowler, how quickly do you have to adapt when you see a wicket like that?
02:40 Do you change the way you go about it?
02:41 >> Yeah, you've got a few balls and then you need to know what to do.
02:45 I think it was quite clear from the start when we started off after Janssen bowled one
02:49 or two fuller deliveries and once he bowled one a little bit shorter, we knew that there
02:53 was maybe a bit more bounce in the wicket.
02:54 So that's something for us as a unit to exploit.
02:57 And it's not really a lot of chat.
03:00 You can see what's happening and you just need to go out and execute what the day and
03:04 what the conditions is asking of you.
03:06 >> Manners, Rex and Sid.
03:09 >> I know that every pitch is a little bit different, but these ten were all grown at
03:16 the same time.
03:17 The six at the practice venue and the four here.
03:21 And yesterday it was noticeable that you and KG and the other quicks weren't allowed to
03:27 bowl to your batters.
03:29 So you were bowling in an empty net.
03:31 They were also pretty spicy.
03:33 So that must have given you an idea of what to expect today.
03:36 >> Yes, we didn't know it's all from the same.
03:39 We sort of assumed that they're coming from the same, let me call it, factory.
03:43 But yes, didn't know that.
03:46 But yes, it was a little bit up and down as well in the nets.
03:50 But we need to train something and the batters need to train something.
03:55 It's not always nice to go out and face maybe balls jumping up.
03:59 I think you adapt to it on the day and rather work on what you want to in the nets.
04:03 And that's why I think one or two of the guys eventually walked out.
04:06 But they were still batting facing us.
04:08 It's just also you don't want to get hit a day before the game.
04:11 You want to sort of go through your routines as a batter.
04:14 And they were fresh and spicy as well.
04:16 So yes, all in all, I think the guys prepped really well on what we had.
04:21 And I think it was a good sort of two net sessions, two or three net sessions that we
04:25 had to sort of see what the conditions may look like.
04:29 But you never know on the day.
04:30 But yes, I think the prep was really good.
04:32 >> And just quickly, did you have any doubts at all bowling on those super flat wickets?
04:38 In India you had a couple of torrid matches.
04:41 Were there any sort of doubts that something had gone wrong?
04:45 >> No.
04:46 It's you sort of -- it's literally won over.
04:50 That's been from a personal perspective, it's been won over in a game where I've traveled
04:55 on that side of the world.
04:56 And it's just about following your processes, working hard on what you need to improve.
05:02 You sort of get an idea of where you can improve and very quickly as well.
05:07 And the other important thing is keeping the 20 people who works with you and encourages
05:11 you very close to you and the other 10 million or million that abuses you to keep them out
05:17 your circle.
05:18 So, yes, it's just about keeping those close to you who knows you, who know what you can
05:24 do, keep on working with them.
05:26 And that's exactly what I did.
05:27 And to try and just sort of execute where I can.
05:31 I don't think I was on the money as I would have liked to be today, but obviously got
05:35 the results and got wickets.
05:36 But it's just about the process and about trying to keep on going, trying to get better
05:42 and better.
05:43 And the worse it goes on a day, the better you get, I think, quicker as well.
05:48 You sort of know where it's gone wrong.
05:51 So yeah, I know it's been a tough sort of month or two, but I think the training and
05:55 the prep has been really good.
05:56 And the thinking, especially the last -- probably the last month has been really well from myself
06:01 and those 20, like I said, around me.
06:05 So it's been really good.
06:07 Rex?
06:08 Your career best figures today, and hardly there was not a single loose ball at all during
06:13 those four was -- how satisfying is it to start off the campaign with such a critical
06:19 performance?
06:20 Yeah, like I said now earlier, there was probably a few balls that I wanted a little bit differently.
06:28 They weren't 100% executed, but yeah, very happy to get the results.
06:33 I think the biggest thing is just to get the results for the team.
06:36 It's not about personal performance.
06:37 To get a career best is nice, but it doesn't really matter at the end of the day unless
06:41 the team is winning.
06:42 So I'm very happy for the team as well.
06:45 I think every bowler bowled really well.
06:48 And like I said earlier, for the guys to be scoring, to get the runs as quickly as we
06:52 did on a tough-ish wicket or on a very tough wicket was great to see, because it might
06:58 just get worse -- or it might just get harder, not worse, sorry.
07:01 It might get harder in the next few weeks, or it might get a little bit easier, and then
07:04 we as bowlers have to adapt again.
07:06 So yeah, very satisfied, very happy for today, and sort of just clean the thoughts now, clear
07:12 the thoughts, and go on, get ready for the next one.
07:16 Again, it's going to be a short turnaround, and can't really hope too much around one
07:20 game.
07:21 But yeah, it's a long process that we've been building towards, and we just need to stick
07:27 to our processes and keep on working hard for the next week or two, and hopefully get
07:32 to the playoffs and take it from there.
07:34 Andrik, you said a very interesting thing about shutting out the millions of voices
07:43 that are not encouraging you.
07:44 Do they kind of get to you when you are injured and trying to make a comeback, and then there's
07:49 just one game and you're not done very well in that game?
07:53 No, it's just about having the positive energy and the positive people around you in your
07:59 close circle, not letting anyone into your circle who's not on a positive note.
08:05 You sort of know as a player what you can do and what you can produce.
08:08 It's just about getting to that stage where it does come off, and don't let any other
08:15 interference come into your personal bubble or circle.
08:18 And I think from there on you would be good.
08:23 Like I was speaking about, it's a process and it will happen somewhere.
08:26 It's just about when and where.
08:28 But I think that's very important as a player, and I think any sportsman would tell you that
08:33 as well.
08:34 Just on the pitches, do you think it's just a case of them being fresh and not played
08:38 on?
08:39 Because even the Indians felt that from day one when they practiced, they've settled down
08:44 a little by now.
08:45 I don't think there's anything wrong with the wickets.
08:48 It's nice for bowlers as well.
08:49 We're also allowed to get some sort of assistance.
08:54 It's different to what guys have been used to for the last few months or years.
08:58 There's a little bit more in the wicket for the bowlers, and I don't see anything wrong
09:02 with that.
09:03 When it's flat, people want to see sixes.
09:06 So the wheels should turn a little bit somewhere.
09:09 But I'm not taking anything away.
09:11 I don't know what to expect in the next few weeks.
09:13 It might get a little bit flatter.
09:14 It might get a little bit slower, faster.
09:17 Who knows?
09:18 I'm not the expert on it.
09:19 But I think our biggest thing is just to adapt to whatever gets thrown in front of us in
09:24 the next game.
09:25 Again, see in the first over what to expect and try and adjust as best as possible.
09:29 Obviously, there's been a lot of focus here about cricket coming to the US and providing
09:36 an entertaining spectacle.
09:37 Do you think the pitches or the pitch today is a good reflection of that entertainment?
09:43 And will it be down to the batters maybe to adjust the way they play?
09:47 No, I thought the game was great.
09:53 I thought the entertainment was there.
09:54 I thought the people was there.
09:55 It was a brilliant spectacle.
09:56 It was brilliant to see everyone, to hear the voices, the noise, the cheering.
10:01 I thought it was a great day for cricket.
10:04 It doesn't always mean -- correct me if I'm wrong -- but it doesn't always mean there
10:07 needs to be 26es in a game to make it entertaining.
10:11 There's still a lot of strategy that goes into the game.
10:13 There's a lot of skill that goes into the game, whether it's sixes or bowlers or spinners,
10:18 however it might be.
10:19 So I thought the game was a brilliant game.
10:22 It was still a close game at the end of the day, another wicket or two, and things might
10:26 have been different.
10:27 We might have been in a little bit more trouble.
10:28 So all in all, I thought it was a really good game.
10:31 It is great to be in New York.
10:33 It's great to be playing cricket in the US.
10:37 And we're excited for what's to come.
10:40 We've enjoyed the facilities.
10:41 We've enjoyed the sort of getting around, exploring as well.
10:44 So yeah, it's brilliant.
10:46 And we're enjoying it.
10:47 We're definitely enjoying it.
10:48 And we're excited for the cricket on and off the field.
10:53 And we'll close on that note.
10:54 Thank you very much, Arnaz.
10:55 Thank you.
10:56 Thanks, everyone.
10:57 Thanks.
10:57 [BLANK_AUDIO]