“Just need to get some momentum into our game”: Robbie Peterson

It was a tough outing for MI Cape Town on New Year’s Eve, but Head Coach, Robbie Peterson sounded confident in the team's ability to put this behind and script a quick turnaround. Here is he is, speaking at the post-match press conference. Excerpts.. 

On the target set 

When you chase a score like that, you have to give it a crack. We are chasing 30 runs too many in each innings and putting our batters under pressure. You can’t ask them to chase 220 in every game. Teams have played well against us. There are good players in that dressing room. We have only played two games in the competition with one game being rained out. It’s been a stop-start affair for us. We’ve just got to get back to the drawing board, take a long look at ourselves and we have a quick turnaround to the next game. We can’t linger on this too long. 

On Kagiso Rabada’s return from injury

He’s fine. He’s been very professional behind the scenes, trying to make sure he could come back. He was probably good to go last game, but we probably felt one more game to make sure he is in the best possible mental state to trust his body. He has done everything possible to trust his body. He hasn’t played in about 13-14 weeks. To see him bowl like that and lead the attack was something special. 

Mood in the dressing room after three games 

There are more than one way to get to the playoffs. We saw the Sunrisers last year lose their first three games and make it to the final. We see the bottom team can be the top team with the bonus point. If most of your matchwinners fire on the day, you can win with a bonus point. It’s just that we need to get off the straps pretty soon to get some momentum into our game. 

On what the team needs to get right

It’s hard to put a finger on it. The opposition have played well and put us under pressure, and we haven’t responded as well as we should. Some of those guys have played a lot of cricket. Corbin Bosch is coming after 13 weeks away in Pakistan and India. It’s not through lack of preparation or hard work behind the scenes. I think our Bowling Coach, Mitchell McClenaghan, is one of the best in the world in short format cricket. Everything is at the players’ disposal. At the end of the day, you have got to execute as a player. You need to execute under pressure and follow a game plan and do it for 40 overs. 

On the superstars in the team

We try and win every game. It has been a bit frustrating, we played one game, went to Durban, rained out, back here, not at our best. That is not an excuse. These guys do it for a living. They go across tournaments and perform for teams across the globe. We’ve just got to sharpen up mentally and up our execution right in all facets. That’s what you do as a team. You don’t point fingers at one department. We all have got to look at each other and look to turn it around quickly. We’ve only played three games. We have seven left. We have shown that we have guys in the dressing room that have won this competition. It’s just a different journey this year. The guys will be hurting. They want to win every match at Newlands and make the fans smile when they leave. That’s an opportunity next game to put it right. 

Thoughts on Rashid Khan’s bowling performance 

 It's very difficult. There is a platform when Rashid comes on to bowl. When a team has a partnership and a platform, they don’t need to take risks. We may have to rethink where to use him. We may being him into the attack a little bit sooner. These are things we will do behind the scenes and brainstorm quickly. I wouldn’t worry too much. He is a world class performer, a leader within that dressing room, he will be back pretty soon I am sure. 

On Rabada’s injury management 

He is a world class performer. We value him very highly. We have a great medical team here. The recovery process they follow is pretty rigourous. He’s got the best people behind him to make sure he gets through the tournament. He’s resting up when he needs to. He is experienced enough to know when he body needs rest. He has managed that beautifully over the last two weeks in the background. We will look after him as much as we can in the dressing room. 

Update on Jason Smith’s bowling

Jason has come back from injury. He had a calf strain. The bowling loads up in the background. We will most like see him in the mid to the backend of the tournament. The work has been done behind the scenes. 

On Trent Boult’s performance

Trent does his work. He is a professional and does this for a living all over the world. Yes, he hasn’t got the wickets, but in the first game, he went past Devon Conway’s bat, nicked it through the slips. It’s the fortune you need sometimes in T20 cricket. Some teams are having it go their way in the tournament so far. We haven’t quite had that little rub of the green you need. It could change in a game or two. Suddenly he takes a wicket upfront and he is away in the competition. Last year as well he started the competition slowly but was magnificent for us in the final. I am not worried about Trent. He knows how to take wickets.