Warm-up losses inspired us to improve our game: Bates

Bengaluru, March 27 (PTI) New Zealand Captain Suzie Bates has said that defeats in warm-up in the lead up to the tournament has inspired the Kiwis to improve their game in in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Twenty20.

“Those (warm-up) games were very close, and we were able to learn from them. We wouldn’t have looked at improving if we had won the warm-ups,” she told reporters here.

Bates said there was no secret behind their success, but they were confident of keeping an all-win record.

“It is nothing to do with any secrets, but we are just confident about the good players we have got. The bowlers, both spinners and medium pacers, bowled well and our batswomen are in good form. Hence, it is no real secret but confidence, that we won all four matches,” she said.

Bates said even though the Kiwis have done extremely well in league matches, they have to play responsibly in the knockout stages of the tournament.

“Semi-final and final are a different story. Doesn’t matter what we have done leading up to the next stage. We need to start afresh, have to put our heads down because anything can happen in cricket. There’s also tension of previous track record against our rivals who could meet us in semi-finals and final,” she said.

Meanwhile, South Africa captain Mignon du Preez said the team did not execute their plans properly.

“We did not execute our plans properly. Obviously it is very disappointing. It never looked easy to defend a low total of 100, especially against a strong New Zealand team,” she said.

“It is disappointing. There was lot of inconsistencies. We did do anything worthwhile to improve. Our batting, bowling and fielding needed improvement. We played good cricket before coming into the World Cup.”