33rd over: Australia 161-5 (Sutherland 31, McGrath 1) Carson fights back after being taken for 25 runs from her opening three overs. The off-spinner claims the critical wicket of Gardner in her best over yet. Australia vice-captain Tahlia McGrath is in earlier than they would have hoped.

WICKET! Gardner b Carson 19 (Australia 160-5)

32nd over: Australia 158-4 (Sutherland 30, Gardner 18) Another opportunity goes begging for New Zealand and they are paying the price for a lack of sharpness in the field. Substitute fielder Jess Kerr dives low to her left at mid-on but can’t get a hand to the ball as it races away to the boundary. That was a half-chance but the White Ferns need to start holding some of those if they’ re going to match the world champions.

31st over: Australia 153-4 (Sutherland 26, Gardner 17) Sutherland goes after Carson who has been a target throughout much of the Australia innings. The Australian picks up a pair of twos then ends the over with a controlled loft that reaches the rope.

30th over: Australia 143-4 (Sutherland 16, Gardner 17) Typically clever captaincy from Devine as the pace of Mair is called back into the attack on the brink of the drinks break and with this partnership getting away from the White Ferns. The Australians find runs through the gaps without taking any real risks.

29th over: Australia 139-4 (Sutherland 16, Gardner 13) Gardner slogs powerfully for another boundary as ominous signs start to appear for the White Ferns. The hosts have done well to dismiss any Australians that have been able to make a start but as much as any these are the two batters that they wouldn’t want to go on and make a big score.

28th over: Australia 134-4 (Sutherland 16, Gardner 8) Devine’s seamers lock down the Australian pair until Sutherland slices a square drive to the rope.

27th over: Australia 128-4 (Sutherland 11, Gardner 7) Kerr continues with mid-on up inside the circle allowing Gardner to loft a straight drive into space over the back. That forces a change in the field after clever batting from the Australian. Sutherland sweeps hard at a fuller delivery but a mis-timed swipe goes to backward square for two runs.

26th over: Australia 120-4 (Sutherland 8, Gardner 2) Sutherland clobbers a pull shot over midwicket for four. That was all power with little backswing and comes just one ball after the batter had almost nicked behind.

25th over: Australia 114-4 (Sutherland 2, Gardner 2) Just the one run from Kerr’s neat over of leg-spin as Australia reach the halfway mark with 114 runs on the board. The White Ferns will be pleased with that.

24th over: Australia 113-4 (Sutherland 1, Gardner 2) Penfold starts with the prized wicket of Mooney then dishes up a mixed bag to Gardner. The Australian flicks off the pads for two to backward point, then nicks off trying to drive the next delivery. The ball falls short and wide of James who is still being trusted as the only slip.

WICKET! Mooney c James b Penfold 14 (Australia 110-4)

23rd over: Australia 110-3 (Mooney 14, Sutherland 1) New Zealand keep swinging the bowling changes with Kerr taking over from Carson. Mooney is on the move to give herself space to pick up an easy single on the off-side. The right-hander ends the over with a powerful sweep that perhaps went too hard as the fielder on the fence restricts the Australians to one run.

22nd over: Australia 107-3 (Mooney 12, Sutherland 0) Penfold takes the ball from Mair and picks up her second scalp. Once again it is well-timed as Perry was just starting to light up her attack.

WICKET! Perry c Gaze b Penfold 29 (Australia 107-3)

21st over: Australia 101-2 (Perry 25, Mooney 11) Carson drifts too far down the leg-side but fellow keeper Mooney is awake to the threat of a stumping. The Australian pair pick up an easy single apiece as Mooney punishes another loose delivery heading down leg from the final delivery. A subtle sweep sends the ball fine and our of Maddy Green’s diving reach to the rope.

20th over: Australia 94-2 (Perry 24, Mooney 6) DROPPED! Mair angles the ball across Mooney with two points and a gully in place. Bella James dives low and to her left and grasses another chance. That’s two dropped catches from the debutant. Maybe the ball is a bit slippery with the rain but James’ mind must be racing. Perry is picking up singles with ease as it’s Mooney now getting her eye in.

19th over: Australia 91-2 (Perry 23, Mooney 5) Eden Carson brings more spin into the attack. The off-spinner throws the ball up to tempt Perry but the batter is up to the task with a hard and flat straight drive that clears a ducking Mooney’s head to the rope. I don’t mean to alarm you, but there is a hint of rain falling. Thankfully, the players look keen to continue.

18th over: Australia 83-2 (Perry 17, Mooney 3) Mair still has the ball moving through the air. The White Ferns pacer ends the over slicing through Perry as the all-rounder cuts when the ball was too close to her body.

17th over: Australia 82-2 (Perry 17, Mooney 2) Perry dances down the pitch to smack Kerr back over head for one bounce and over the rope. The Australia all-rounder has been holding back until now but that was a reminder of her class and power.

16th over: Australia 76-2 (Perry 12, Mooney 1) Mair strikes after the drinks break and the White Ferns are right back in this. Beth Mooney is the new batter at the crease and immediately picks up a single with a nudge to point.

WICKET! Litchfield c Gaze b Mair 25 (Australia 74-2)

15th over: Australia 69-1 (Litchfield 23, Perry 8) Plenty of variety from Kerr as the Australian batters are happy to stand up and defend with the drinks break in sight.

14th over: Australia 69-1 (Litchfield 23, Perry 8) Perry hammers Devine through square leg for four after the star all-rounder has bided her time. The Australian pair are able to pick up easy singles with the field spreading out even as the tourists are taking it slow and steady.

13th over: Australia 62-1 (Litchfield 21, Perry 3) DROPPED! Debutant Bella James grasses a very tough chance at slip as Melie Kerr comes into the attack. That was a tough one as Litchfield stepped onto the back foot to defend but could only take a thick edge. The left-hander makes the White Ferns pay with a pair of boundaries as she starts to lift the run-rate.

12th over: Australia 52-1 (Litchfield 12, Perry 2) A big appeal as Devine starts the ball on off-stump and it drifts towards leg to strike Perry on the pads. The White Ferns skipper chooses not to review and it was the right decision with a clear inside edge. Litchfield is fortunate to clear mid-on when trying to hit towards the off-side as the ball bounces away for four.

11th over: Australia 47-1 (Litchfield 8, Perry 1) Penfold sends down another controlled over, save for a wide that drifted away on the off-side. Otherwise it was six dot balls to Perry.

10th over: Australia 45-1 (Litchfield 8, Perry 0) Litchfield starts the over with a couple of runs off her pads but Devine returns to a testing line and length from there. The White Ferns have bounced back from a horror start to restrict Australia to only 45 runs from the powerplay when it looked set to be much more with Healy in full flight.

9th over: Australia 43-1 (Litchfield 6, Perry 0) New Zealand will be pleased to see the back of Healy after the Australia skipper threatened to take the game away from them. There is little let up with Ellyse Perry coming in at No 3 but the all-rounder makes a watchful start as Penfold finds a nice line outside off-stump.

WICKET! Healy c Kerr b Penfold 34 (Australia 43-1)

8th over: Australia 43-0 (Healy 34, Litchfield 6) Another tidy over from Devine as the White Ferns are at least slowing the scoring from one end.

7th over: Australia 40-0 (Healy 33, Litchfield 4) Australian hearts are in mouths for a brief moment as the skipper swipes at a wide ball that rises skyward. But it flies safely through the fielders in the cover region to the boundary. Healy swings hard on an even wider delivery and the ball rockets off the toe of the bat and over slips for another four.

6th over: Australia 31-0 (Healy 24, Litchfield 4) Sophie Devine takes matters into her own hands with Australia threatening. A tidier over from the New Zealand skipper restricts the tourists to a couple of singles.

5th over: Australia 29-0 (Healy 23, Litchfield 3) Alyssa Healy is quickly looking back to her best. Another clip off the pads is in the air momentarily but so well-placed that there was little danger on the way to the boundary. The skipper then plays the shot of the day so far with a square drive for four. Ominous sides for the White Ferns as Healy is already up and running.

4th over: Australia 21-0 (Healy 15, Litchfield 3) Litchfield steps back to open up her options but Penfold sees her move and aims outside the left-hander’s off-stump. The opener has to reach to get bat on ball and can’t control her shot as it pops up towards backward point but falls safely. Healy flicks off her pads again for a single and so far has been untroubled in her return to the side.

3rd over: Australia 19-0 (Healy 14, Litchfield 2) Mair to Healy on a much tighter line and length. A leg-cutter cramps up the Australia skipper and strikes her on the hip. Healy responds with a pair of classy clips off the pads to the rope, the first through midwicket and the next much finer as Mair drifts too far down leg.

2nd over: Australia 11-0 (Healy 6, Litchfield 2) A half-hearted appeal as Molly Penfold moves the ball away from Litchfield and there is a sound as the ball passes the bat. But that was pretty clearly bat on ground. Penfold loses her radar with a couple of wides then a Suzie Bates mis-field at cover hands Healy a run off the last delivery. A bit sloppy from the White Ferns.

1st over: Australia 7-0 (Healy 5, Litchfield 0) A loosener from Rosemary Mair swings away from Alyssa Healy to start with a wide that releases the pressure. The Australia skipper whips another delivery off her pads to the boundary to brush away any suggestions she might be a bit rusty. Mair bounces back with a straight one that cuts through Phoebe Litchfield on the way through to the keeper.

The national anthems are sung and done and the White Ferns are completing their warm up as the cloud returns. It will be interesting to see how the pitch has responded to bewing covered under heavy rain in recent days.

Alyssa Healy takes her two-centres with Rosemary Mair at the top of her mark. Game on!

This first three two-match series between New Zealand and Australia since 2021 is part of the ICC ODI Championship. As they tend to do in this format, and across most of women’s cricket, Australia have risen to the top and already used the multi-year tournament to secure an automatic spot at the next Women’s World Cup to be held in India in October

New Zealand need to win at least one of these two ODIs to move above Sri Lanka into the critical fifth spot to join their Trans-Tasman rivals, England, South Africa and hosts India in the showpiece event without having to do it the hard way.

Australia XI

New Zealand XI

New Zealand win the toss and elect to field

Bella James will make her international debut for New Zealand after being called up in place of Georgia Plimmer who is suffering from a bone stress reaction in her hip and will be sidelined until next year. James has been presented with her cap by Suzie Bates and will likely open in Plimmer’s absence. The 25-year-old is a powerful hitter who will attack Australia pace bowlers.

Australia captain Alyssa Healy is in line for a return to the side – as a batter only, rather than also taking the gloves – after missing the three ODI series on home turf against India due to injury. Young opener Georgia Voll fitted in seamlessly in Healy’s absence, amassing 173 runs in three knocks, and explained what it meant to be handed a debut cap and then grasp her opportunity.

I do enjoy opening. That’s the goal that I’d love to keep going, but obviously Alyssa Healy is a world-class player, so she slots right back in. But this whole team is world class, so it’s hard to crack any spot.

Preamble