Quinton de Kock addressed the media ahead of the match against Australia in Lucknow on Thursday.
[Reporter:]
You are familiar with this ground. Any change in the spinners against Australia?
[Quinton de Kock:]
We still haven’t looked at the wicket. It’s been relaid. So, we’re still having a chat about what we’re going to do about it, but we’ll see.
[Reporter:]
Already people are talking about South Africa’s top six as the most in-form top six of the tournament. You’ve played in a lot of top sixes over the years, how does this one feel different if at all and how does the form feel different?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I think we’re doing really well as a batting unit; we’ve worked really hard in our game the last couple of years. It’s only one game into the World Cup, so it’s hard to say how we’re really going. Even though we’ve had it really well our last couple of games, but it hasn’t been over a course of years. It’s only been a course over a month or a couple of months. So yeah, I think in order for us to be one of the best we need to be, we still need to be a bit more consistent. Especially in tight games like World Cups. And yeah, that will determine actually how good we are.
[Reporter:]
You’ve just spoken about the top six, but obviously you guys have Marco coming in at seven. There’s been a bit of a debate about people wondering if he’s a good enough batsman at this stage to bat at number 7 or if he’s not better number 8. And JP Duminy has also said you guys have a lot of confidence in him. What’s your thoughts on Markram where he’s at with his batting at the moment?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I think he’s doing really well. For a guy his age, he’s got a lot of experience ahead of him in the batting department to help guide him. So, he’s doing really well for his, I think he’s very talented. He’s a big hitter of the ball. Plays spin really well and he’s looking to improve every time. So, I think just give him a chance. He’s still young so he’s not like the rest of us who are all probably above the age of 30. So let him just grow in his ways and in his position I’m sure he’ll be a great all-rounder for us one day.
[Reporter:]
Every time you play for South Africa it’s a special occasion obviously, but a game against Australia in the World Cup seems to be bigger than most, would you agree, for South Africans?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I think it’s just because you’re playing against such a strong team. I don’t think it’s any different from playing Australia to any other team because it’s a World Cup. Can’t take any games for granted. And because Australians and us have always had a great history, a good competitive background, so yeah, I think that’s just what it is. I think both teams are going to come out fighting tomorrow, and whoever makes the right choices under pressure will be the stronger team at the end of the day.
[Reporter:]
Having watched Australia’s struggles against the three Indian spinners on Sunday, knowing this surface, having played here once for South Africa and once for Lucknow, do you think you’d be tempted to bring in Shamsi to try and make the most of Australia’s struggles to spin in that middle over period?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I think obviously it’s been a thought in what the selectors are thinking, but in saying that I’ve also seen those same guys who struggled in the Australian team also destroy spinners in the IPL and stuff. I think that was a spinning-friendly wicket in Chennai.
I think most other teams could have struggled because obviously the Indians have got really good spin bowling attack. I’ve played against a lot of these guys, guys like Warner, Smith, Marnus, Maxi, these guys really play spin really well in general.
I think it was just that one game, that’s the way I see it. Especially here in Lucknow, I don’t know what wicket we’re going to get. I have seen how during the IPL and the wickets; we’ve got different varieties of wickets in play. So, it could come out and it could be a seam-friendly wicket opposed to a spin-friendly wicket. So, I’m pretty sure the thought process of bringing the second spinner is in, but we’ll see tomorrow.
[Reporter:]
Just going back to your earlier answer about Australia and South Africa, can you just elaborate a little more about how different the South African rivalry is with Australia, say, compared to your rivalry with England or India or some of these other teams?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I’m not too sure. I think it’s just a big rivalry. I think it’s just international cricket, it’s just the way it is. Both teams are strong teams, both got big egos, both want to win, want to beat each other. So, I think that’s what it just comes down to. Whoever comes out, like I said earlier, whoever comes out and makes the best decisions in the most, in the biggest pressure situation will probably be the winner at the end of the day.
[Reporter:]
Just about Australia’s bowling attack, I mean, you look at Cummins, Hazlewood, Starc, maybe in Test cricket, they’re up there with the best in the world. But just in one-day cricket, how do you judge that bowling attack? Just the three of them, Adam Zampa, Maxwell, they’re saying is a specialist spinner and a bunch of all-rounders.
[Reporter:]
I think they’re a really good bowling attack. I think they’re well-balanced. You know, obviously you’ve got Starc here as a left arm, he swings it a lot up front, bowls really good yorkers towards the end. Got a guy like Hazelwood and Pat Cummins who don’t really give you bad balls, got seriously good bouncers. And then you’ve got obviously Cam Greene now coming in who adds more balance to their seam bowling attack. And he also bowls at 140 plus. Then Maxi, I think a lot of guys underrate him. I think he’s a really good offie, especially in the white-ball format. He keeps it very tight. I think teams underestimate him. I think that’s why he does really well because I think he knows he’s a good spinner. I think other guys don’t give him the respect he deserves. But that’s what I’ve seen and watched over the years.
[Reporter:]
How chuffed and emotional were you to actually finally get that elusive World Cup ton in Delhi? And obviously a good start was imperative for all of you guys, but was it almost like a bonus that three of your guys actually start this tournament with hundreds actually behind your name, you know, just in terms of confidence going forward?
[Quinton de Kock:]
Yeah, I think it was big. I think I’ve been wanting a 100 for a while. Just for my personal self, I think it’s been a while. I’ve got to be getting off to a lot of starts and then obviously not capitalizing and just to get one into my name was again was pretty nice. And the rest of us, I think the rest of the guys have been scoring a lot of big runs anyway. I think just to tick it off in a World Cup and get the campaign started was a big thing for the guys confidence obviously, we know that big pressures. Yeah, and sometimes you come into a tournament and you not quite too sure. Are you going to go? You know, you’re trying to find your feet and just to come up and first game, some of the guys found their feet. You know, it was really nice.
[Reporter:]
Since 2016 you guys have played Australia in 20 ODIs and won 15 of them. What do you think you have had such great success against them?
[Quinton de Kock:]
To be honest, I’m not too sure. Not too sure. I think we’ve just played really good cricket. I’ve been part of all of those series and to be honest I think just a lot of guys have just stepped up at the right time and we’ve just been on the right side of it. Honestly not too sure because Australia are a really good cricketing team. They’re going to make it really difficult for anybody who plays against them. So yeah, I can’t put my thumb on it.
[Reporter:]
Well about it last week or a few days ago, having made that decision to have this tournament be your last, do you think that helped you with that performance against Sri Lanka? Has it freed you up mentally and maybe now everything’s a bit of a bonus perhaps?
[Quinton de Kock:]
Not really, I think I’m pretty much the same whether retired or not retired it’s just a matter of working on one or two things and just going out there and just getting it done. I don’t know it just happened I guess – Just been working on one or two things now in the Australian series and now here in our preparations, yeah, just to get it done out there, I think, just helped.
[Reporter:]
Just to follow from that, you’ve obviously announced your decision to retire from this format. But what do you think about the future of one-day cricket? Is it still an interesting format to play, or does it have some challenges?
[Quinton de Kock:]
I’m sure a lot of guys love the format. I’m not going to speak on behalf of everyone. For myself, it’s been doing it for a couple of years now, so I find it quite tiring. It’s been a long time for myself, but I’m sure there’s still a lot of guys, a lot of youngsters coming through the ranks, guys still at school growing up, they still would love to play this format and I highly recommend that they find a way to keep it going because there’s a lot of guys with big ambitions who want this format to carry on going which I think they need to find a place and a time for it to happen.
