Mitchell Marsh sets no personal T20 World Cup goals, just aiming for title win

Mitch, Any team news? Is Nathan Ellis available for tomorrow's clash for example?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

He's available but no team news yet.

[Reporter:]

And Tim David, will we see him start the tournament or is he someone who might be eased back into the group stage?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, he's not available tomorrow, but we'll certainly see him come back into contention over the next few games.

[Reporter:]

What did you take from the game 1 out here? There's lots of spin, bowl between Sri Lanka and Ireland, 25 out of the 40 overs. What did you take from watching that match?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, obviously no surprises. Didn't think that we'd get turned a lot, but we certainly know the conditions that we're going to be faced with. And I think most teams will have, I guess, similar ideas on how they're going to go about it. So we're prepared for that and we're ready to go.

[Reporter:]

I'm guessing that the two specialist spinners is an option for the way you'll line up. It's not something Australia traditionally done throughout this cycle, but I'm guessing conditions here will suit that if you choose to go that way.

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, absolutely. I think, as you said, it's not something that - in the conditions that we face traditionally happens but we've played with two spinners over the last probably 12 months a few times and we've seen that Matt Kuhnemann certainly belongs at this level. So yeah, if we go that way will certainly be no surprise to us and something that we've been accustomed to over the last 12 months.

[Reporter:]

And just generally, a final one for me, but generally here in Sri Lanka the scores are a little bit lower than what you've seen in the T20 format. How does that impact your approach to your batting unions? We've seen the side be really aggressive since the last World Cup and to dominate throughout the 20 overs. Will that change given the lower scoring here or is it a similar approach do you think?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Look I think we certainly want to be positive in the way we go about things. I think in these conditions it's just about being really clear on how you're going to go about it and playing what's in front of you. The word adaptability has been thrown around in our team meetings so far and just adapt to whatever situation is put in front of us and get the job done.

[Reporter:]

Just a quick word on the pacers, so pretty inexperienced pace attack. It's the first time without the big three since 2016, I think, the 2016 World Cup. So how's that on surfaces where you probably need a little bit of experience because they're not going to have too much assistance.

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, look, guys like Paddy have played a lot for us over the last few years due to his hectic schedule and over the last 12 months guys like Benny Dwarshuis and Xavier Bartlett have played pretty much all of our games. So we've got great confidence that they've been able to do a role for us, and they've excelled in some games. So we're confident with the group that we've got here. And we've built that for the last 12 months.

[Reporter:]

You guys have had quite a few injuries in the build - up over the last couple of months. It's been, I wouldn't say chaotic, but it's not been ideal preparation. Unusual for an Australia side, because you generally plan quite well ahead. So how's that been adapting to that?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, I'll probably go back to the last point, is that we've sort of built out a squad of maybe 18 to 20 people that have played over the last 12 months and we've got game time to all of them. They've all faced different situations in matches and whilst some of them haven't played a lot for Australia, they've played a lot of cricket and we've got great confidence that they're going to be able to do the job for us.

[Reporter:]

And just yourself personally, what are your targets and how are you using your experience playing here before?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

My target is a World Cup trophy. That's all it is.

[Reporter:]

You had, in the lead up to the World Cup in the past year, you had a run rate of your batting unit scoring at a run rate of nearly 10, which was among the highest. But in this week, it's in Sri Lanka. You might slightly have to adjust your game. So how has the batting group got to make do with that? And because you guys have like power from all the way from the top to bottom

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, look we do have a lot of power in our unit, but we've also got a lot of skill and a lot of experience from one to seven. So I think it's just play what's in front of us, adapt to the conditions, communicate really well, and whatever's thrown at us, just jump at the opportunity and have a crack.

[Reporter:]

Also, is this a World Cup where Australia are pinning their hopes, a lot of their spinners compared to their fast bowlers want to change because of the lack of experience in the pace?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

I don't think we're alone there. I think most teams will be leaning on their spinners, But we've seen over time that pace bowlers still play a big role in the way we shape up. So I'm looking forward to that.

[Reporter:]

Yeah, so a lot of associate teams have played really good so far this tournament, really close games. Even Ireland had a very good close game against Sri Lanka. So how are you seeing these non-full member sides coming about in this tournament? And do you see - because you are playing last in the tournament, have you seen a pattern coming up in this tournament and do you think you have probably have to change some tactics around that?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Yeah, there's been some great games to start the World Cup and that's what you want. It's been awesome to watch so far. We treat every team the same, we prepare the same way, we do our homework and then it's about going out there and executing on the day. So no matter who we're playing we'll have that mentality.

[Reporter:]

Mitch, how have you found starting the tournament last of the 20 teams, you found that beneficial to see, watch a few games in the lead up to your first one?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

I mean probably some of the teams we haven't played much against but we've had a great -we've sort of been focusing on our own preparation it's been nice have a longer lead in. Certain guys not in Pakistan and getting the group together for a week. So yeah, now it's here, we're on the eve of the World Cup for us and we're looking forward to it.

[Reporter:]

Just one more for me. Obviously the Pakistan tour was not ideal in its result. How do you, as a group, how do you kind of put that out of your head and move forward when you're coming into a tournament just before World Cup if you lose 3-0?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Oh look, yeah, it was some great learnings from that tour. We had some young guys that got exposed to those conditions for probably the first time in their career and as we always say, we take the lessons and we move on and we obviously welcome some experienced guys back into our group for this part for this tournament so yeah we've certainly parked that and we move on and we look forward to the World Cup.

[Reporter:]

And just in terms of lessons, if you could pinpoint one or two, what would you say, OK, this is an area we need to improve on?

[Mitchell Marsh:]

Oh, look, I mean, all of it. We were outplayed by Pakistan. And yeah, we've left it there, and we're ready to move on.