Players should trust their skills and enjoy the game

Lynn McConnell

December 21, 2000

"Trust your skills and enjoy the game". That is the advice to the New Zealand team of former coach Ann McKenna on the eve of the CricInfo Women's World Cup final.

McKenna took the New Zealand team to the 1993 and 1997 World Cups where they finished second on each occasion.

She believes there is not as much difference between Australia and New Zealand as in previous World Cups.

"New Zealand has played extremely well, bowling, fielding and batting wise.

"I would say to the side not to worry about winning but to enjoy the chance and trust in their skills.

"In the Rosebowl games in the past there may have been feelings among New Zealand players that they were not quite as good as the Australians but I don't think that is the case now," she said.

McKenna believes the comparisons being made between the 1993 World Cup final, where New Zealand's middle-order suffered because of a lack of outings in previous games, and tomorrow's game were not quite right.

"In that World Cup we won only one of the tosses in the preliminary rounds and we had to chase for quite low scores.

"The Australians this time have had more outings so I don't see that as a problem for them, and they won't let it be.

"Zoe Goss has had only one decent innings but she still scored well and Cherie Bambury batted well in the first game against New Zealand. The Australians will rise to the occasion," she said.

McKenna added that both teams in the past had probably relied on Debbie Hockley and Belinda Clark respectively, but that younger players were now coming through in both sides.

As for the tournament over all she was disappointed there had not been more closer games and she believes the gap between Australia and New Zealand, and the other nations had opened up. But South Africa and Sri Lanka were improving sides.

It had been sad to see England and India slipping off the pace while things at the bottom for the likes of the Netherlands and Ireland had not improved, she said.

© Cricinfo

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CricInfo Women's World Cup

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New Zealand