Colin Ackermann & Jonathan Trott speak ahead of Netherlands vs Afghanistan

Colin Ackermann & Jonathan Trott speak ahead of Netherlands vs Afghanistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

[Reporter:]

So what are the plans of the team and expectation of the team for this match?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, well, the plan is to win tomorrow. Obviously got some momentum from our previous game against Bangladesh. I think we're pretty lucky that we've played here before at this venue. I don't think Afghanistan have played here before. So, we're sort of familiar to the conditions from our game [against] Sri Lanka. So hope that will give us a few positives leading into tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

Top order has been a bit of bit of concern for you guys. There have been so many batting collapses up the order. Has there been any talk about it in the dressing room?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, obviously, we haven't formed the foundation that we would have liked as a batting unit so far this tournament, but I suppose we have to look individually at how we're getting out. We haven't played the perfect game yet with the bat. We know that our middle order and our lower order are very capable of scoring runs towards the back end.

So, I think if we can set the game up as a top order, top 3- 4 batters. It just takes two guys to form a good partnership and we'll set up a very good score.

[Reporter:]

So you are coming, you guys are coming here after defeating Bangladesh. So I believe that, you know, the spirit levels must be high in the dressing room but given the threat the Afghanistan spin department poses, what are your plans to counter them?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, they've obviously got three very good spinners that have been successful in T20 cricket. The 50 over format is different. You don't have to go after the spinners from, from ball one. So it gives us an opportunity to have a look at them to see how the conditions are playing out there. I think the teams that have done well against them have kind of taken the game deep and not given them any wickets in the middle overs. But in saying that they've also got two or three very good seamers that are dangerous. So it's about getting through the power play first and then combating the spin in the middle overs.

[Reporter:]

Did you guys know about that Champions Trophy qualification scenario before the tournament? And you guys are looking for it like right now?

[Colin Ackermann:]

No, we didn't know about it before the tournament. I don't think any teams knew about it before we started. But we are here at a World Cup, we're not playing the Champions Trophy. We first need to compete at this tournament before we look at the Champions Trophy.

[Reporter:]

So the focus changed to the top four of semifinal to the champion pre-qualification or still the focus is semifinal?

[Colin Ackermann:]

The focus is semifinal for us. We know that if we win our next three games, we'll make the semifinal. That is our focus at this stage. We're not interested in what's happening in two years’ time. We've got a game to win tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

The last two games played here, the conditions have been pretty bowler friendly, in that regard, is there a case for Ryan Klein to feature in tomorrow's game?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, I don't know. I'm not too sure. We've only seen the wicket for the first time now this afternoon. It's been undercovers yesterday. So we will have a good look at the wicket today and see how we go. But yeah, it has been quite bowler friendly for the India versus England game. The seamers did pretty well as well. So, we'll have to assess conditions as always and take it from there.

[Reporter:]

I would like to ask you a little bit about Aryan Dutt. You guys have been using him as an opening bowler, which is a rarity, like spin bowler bowling in the starting of the inning. So what is the thought process and how are you guys giving him confidence to bowl up front?

[Colin Ackermann:]

I think that he's done extremely well this tournament for us. He's not only someone that can contain but he can also take wickets. I think we've seen that. He's a special talent. Not many batters have looked to go after him. So it means that we can squeeze from one end and the seamers can attack from the other end. So he's a highly skilled bowler, and he's still very young. And he'll grow from strength to strength. But he's a huge, huge asset for us in this team.

[Reporter:]

Adding to that question of Aryan, so he's been hitting sixes like we have seen he's quite capable of clearing the rope. Is there any talk in the team about promoting his batting order because it feels like he is batting way down the order. Is there anything about the team in the future, in the next games that we'll see him batting up the order?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, I think it's one of our strengths of our team is that we bat all the way down. We've got guys that are batting at 8 and 9. We've got Logan van Beek and Roelof van der Merwe at 8 and 9 that have a lot of experience. We know Aryan's capabilities with the bat, but I think it's about allowing him to come in according to the situation. We saw against Africa, the situation was perfect for him to come in and hit from ball one, and that's kind of his strength. So it depends on the situation, but there are also guys that are batting ahead of him that have done it before in the past.

[Reporter:]

The way Afghanistan is chasing in the World Cup right now, they are basically taking singles and pacing the innings well. So what is the plan to change that, to break the middle order, what the Afghanistan have?

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, I think if you look at the three and four bats, they look to bat deep to take the game towards the back end. So I think for us, it's about applying pressure when they first come to the wicket, and not to give them too many easy singles. We've seen that Scott Edwards, our captain, isn't afraid to bring fielders into the ring to try and force the batters to play certain shots that they wouldn't normally want to play. So that'll be the plan is to try and force him to play high-risk shots from the get-go.

[Reporter:]

I guess it is the third match in Lucknow of your team. Tell me about this city. You guys enjoyed in Dharamshala. We have seen some folk dance. What you have done here? Lucknow is famous for its cuisine and all so have you guys tried that have you visited places - the historical places?

[Colin Ackermann:]

No, we haven't ventured out in Lucknow. We had a sponsors event a couple of nights ago. So the training schedule is also quite hectic. So we need to relax as well and enjoy our time up, or our feet up, rather. There's also a little bit of sickness going around. So guys are confined to their rooms at the moment.

[Reporter:]

It's quite natural we talk about head-to-head when two teams go against each other in the World Cup. You guys played against Afghanistan last year with all three matches being won by Afghanistan after they batted first. Is that something which is going through the back of your mind? Is that something which will affect your planning?

[Colin Ackermann:]

No, I don't think so. Those games were quite a long time ago, probably was the beginning of 2022. So quite a long time ago. We were also a very different team to back then. The team was quite inexperienced on that tour, so we're not going to look too far into that fixture.

[Reporter:]

Speaking about the Netherlands - the mission of making it to the semi-finals, given that now just three games to go, Afghanistan, then England, and then India. So it's not going to be a, you know, the challenges are going to be higher with every game. So how you guys are coping with that, what's the basic idea to tackle the upcoming games when you know that every game is important and if you want to make it to the semi-finals, you cannot afford to be losing any of them.

[Colin Ackermann:]

Yeah, every game is a must-win for us now. We are well aware of that. We can't look too far ahead into the England and India game yet. So, all our focus is and preparation is to win in this game first and foremost before we approach any other game this tournament.

[Reporter:]

There is lots of talk about how you have changed the way the Afghanistan batters are batting in the middle order. Is it like there's something specific talk going on? Because before the World Cup, you made a very point that they know how to clear the boundary, but the main challenge is to hit through the ground and run one and twos. So, Afghanistan in that department has done pretty extraordinarily well. So, your thought on that, is there any specific work gone through behind it?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think it's a case more of just being better all-around and thinking more about your all-around game. I think Afghanistan [players] naturally grows up playing a lot more T20 cricket format than any other format, so the skills for T20 are there. It's about adding to that sort of base of T20 skills.

As you see 50 over cricket is a long time and you have to be able to, I think, ride the sort of ebbs, and flows of a game. The thing that I'm really happy about from last game is we lost a wicket in the first over and you know Rahmat Shah was able to go into number three and soak up that pressure but still keep scoring at a good tempo. So that shows the ability to soak up pressure at times what you have to do in 50 over cricket but also then accelerate at certain times.

So, wanting and trying to enable batters and give them the game and help them grow the game so they can have both facets of the game. Pressure, soaking it up, rotation of strike, and obviously accelerating and boundary hitting.

[Reporter:]

You are the coach of the Afghanistan cricket team, but what's your biggest learning with these bunch of boys who have been doing exceptionally well with, what's your key learning with the bunch?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Well, I think the key thing for me is just learning, understanding the game from a different point of view, a different culture, a different way of thinking about it compared to how the game is spoken about, thought about and coached in England or perhaps growing up in South Africa and having another complete culture in a different country's way of thinking about cricket and trying to adapt to that but also add to it and make it as good as possible. That's been the biggest learning for me and the thing that I enjoy doing the most.

[Reporter:]

A few hours ago, Colin Ackerman was here from the Netherlands camp and I asked him about countering the spin attack of Afghanistan. In reply he said that Afghanistan team has three good spinners who have done well in the T20 format, but the 50 overs format is a bit different thing. So as a coach, do you think if you have talent in the side, then format really matters.

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think it's about being consistent in those formats. I think our spinners are ranked quite highly in ODI cricket as well as well as T20, so I'm not quite sure what that sort of comment is, but I think they bowl well in all formats. I don't think it's a case of just talent, as your question suggests. I think it's a case of experience, it's a case of assessing the conditions like our spinners do, communicating that, what length as well that spinners should bowl, having that.

So, it's not just about the format, it's about the moment and the occasion as well. A lot goes into the melting pot to make a good spinner, certainly in T20 cricket but also in ODI cricket where generally spinners are going to bowl with only four fielders out and that's a skill in itself to be able to do that as a finger spinner and as a wrist spinner to have the control as a wrist spinner but also the experience and the skill is just a normal finger spinner with no mystery.

[Reporter:]

Ikram had an injury in the previous game and Gurbaz had to take the gloves. So, what's the status on Ikram's injury right now? Is he available for the game?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Yeah, he's available, yeah.

[Reporter:]

What kind of injury was it?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Just hurt his finger.

[Reporter:]

This is the previous home ground of Afghanistan team, how you people are looking to utilise benefits?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think when it comes to home ground advantage, I think they have good experience of playing here at the ground. But in the case of World Cup matches, I think they've relaid the pitch a little bit. So, it's a little bit different to how it has been in the past. I don't think experience plays that bigger role, but I would say previous World Cup experience from the players as well - we’ve won against big sides against the big Test playing nations I think tomorrow's challenge is going to be playing against a very good Dutch side who are in form and that's going to be the challenge for us tomorrow, so very excited for it.

I don't think there's any advantage having previously played here maybe because I think Holland [Netherlands] have played here before as well, I'm pretty sure. So, they've got probably more experience in the World Cup of playing here than we have. So, it's all about how we play tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

The most trending question this time in all over the world is Afghanistan is going to make place in top four in semi-finals. Lots of permutations and combinations in your mind this time?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Well, we're not going to make the semis by just talking about it. We have to play good cricket. So as long as we play good cricket, we'll give ourselves the best chance of being able to do that. So that starts tomorrow and how well we start tomorrow is going to be crucial and how well we finish. And it's important that when it comes to World Cup games, everything is different, different conditions. We've moved away. Pune is very different to Lucknow; Delhi is very different. So that's the challenge of the World Cup, different conditions, different grounds, different climates. So as long as we adjust ourselves well, we had a good practice yesterday. Hopefully, we have another good practice today. And we're ready for tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

There are lots of talk about Ajay Jadeja's mentorship in the Afghanistan team. What type of help you are getting from him?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think Ajay obviously brings a lot of experience having played a lot of cricket in India. He's always a good sounding board with regards to conditions and the venues and probably also the other subcontinent teams that we've played against. He has a lot of experience in that way, having played a lot against different countries.

So, he brings his vast experience to the players, but also, as for myself as a coach, as a good signing board with decision making and sort of planning going forward for each game, and also another good set of eyes on the players to see how they're preparing for the matches and how their careers and talent is being utilized.

[Reporter:]

Afghan players are very good looking in longer version of game at present and they are very patient in batting. How this change came?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Well, I just think it's a case of a lot of thoughts and going behind it from the players and also realizing how much time you actually do have in the 50-over game. I think when chasing those targets, we saw what just what is possible if you have a good solid start and you have in batsmen in the last 10 overs. That's happened for us but it's also happened against us in games where it's been difficult to stop the opposition with set batters in the last 10 overs.

So, I think having that sort of vision, knowing that you can score quickly towards the back end of games, I think that's the pennies, we're starting to see that drop with the players. Obviously, there's a difference between talking about it but actually going out and doing it. And we're seeing players go out and do it now. And it's not just a case of the players talking about it. That's what we've done. We've spoken a lot about it and worked really hard to try and achieve it so it's nice to see the players do well and have a smile on the face when they're there batting at the end of the game having chased in the last two games and won.

[Reporter:]

Are we going to see spin attack here? That means your all your four spinners will play here because this pitch is more helpful to spinners and opposition team is not so good in playing on this pitch.

[Jonathan Trott:]

Have you seen the pitch?

No, I think we are going to try and pick the side for the conditions, the best side that we can pick. So, we'll just have to see how that shapes up tomorrow when we get to the ground.

[Reporter:]

What do you think about the dew factor? How the playing 11 will be affected by the dew factor that is have that is having here in the Lucknow

[Jonathan Trott:]

It does come into equation but we saw that you not really have an effect when India played England. So, you've got to weigh it up, obviously, when you're selecting the side, but also the decision of the toss.

We've sort of seen the toss not have a huge effect on outcomes of the games. And whatever we do, whether we battle ball first, having won the toss or lost the toss, we've got to make sure we do it better than the Netherlands tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

Can you comment on the dew factor and overall, on all the games that you have played, whether the dew factor has any role in India right now because in some games like India did here, the ball was turning even though there was a dew. So overall if you can make a comment in this regard.

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think it depends on different types of pitches and also the amount of dew. Certainly, you've seen in Pune now the pitch there, the dew has played a role in being able to chase and it definitely - it's really tricky to sort of sit here and not talk about it, because I haven't played at all the grounds. We've only played at Delhi, where it didn't have much of an effect. Chennai had a bit of an effect. Pune had a little bit of an effect. So everywhere it's just a little bit. But again, as I said, the dew doesn't determine whether you win or lose because we saw India win here bowling last against England. It's how you bat, how you bowl and how you get yourself into the competition and outplay the opposition.

[Reporter:]

This is not specific to World Cup. Afghanistan has been using Mujeeb as an opening bowler for quite a long time. So, what do you feel about this? What qualities do you think has helped him to do this so well?

[Jonathan Trott:]

Well, there's a few things to why Mujeeb does so well. One of the only spinners I know who wants to bowl in the power play, he sees that as his role and I think that can only benefit us as a side but also that's what he benefits from mentality wise. You don't want somebody who doesn't want to bowl in the power play, especially a spinner.

So, to have that ability but also the way people around the world know how good a bowler he is, the variations he has, he can manipulate which way he spins the ball depending on the strength of the opposition batsman. His accuracy, certainly in the last few games, has been getting better and better and really, really good and been bowling world class in the power play. I'm looking certainly tomorrow for him to continue his form and make inroads and have an impact on the game tomorrow.

[Reporter:]

In Chennai you guys played Noor, he did exceptionally well. Next game he was benched, first Farooqui came in, he picked four. It's like horses for courses as far as we understand. So how difficult it is as a coach to tell an 18-year-old that, OK mate, you have done well, but this pitch we are going to try a different combination and you are warming the bench. So, what, is it difficult to have a talk?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I think it's always difficult to tell a person you're leaving them out after the way that they bowled, especially a young person who's so ambitious and talented but also is determined to do well. But I think it's great in his attitude, in Noor that he knows his career and you sort of explain to him this is the reasons, but well done, but make sure that you keep working hard. Because the thing that I'm most happy about in that he has been with the side for almost two months and he got his opportunities because he's been training really well, he took his opportunity. So, there's no hesitation in picking him again if I have to or if the conditions suggest that he should be picked. I know that he'll be ready and excited for him to play.

[Reporter:]

Did you guys know about the Champions Trophy qualification scenario before the tournament? And is it in your mind now?

[Jonathan Trott:]

I didn't know about it before the tournament.

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