26th over: New Zealand 89-2 (Down 47, Kerr 5) When Down gets into position early enough, her pull shots have plenty going for them, slamming Carey through square leg here. How do they break up this Australian rhythm, though? Despite taking only two wickets so far, this game is being played almost entirely on the visitors’ terms. 25th over: New Zealand 84-2 (Down 42, Kerr 5) Jonassen is back and you know what that means: stump-to-stump with changes of pace, all angles and guile. She’s been a fine bowler for Australia. Sure enough, just the two singles. Down has faced 80 balls for her 42. 24th over: New Zealand 82-2 (Down 41, Kerr 4) A good over for the hosts is followed by a tight one from Carey, who has 1/14 from five. 23rd over: New Zealand 80-2 (Down 40, Kerr 3) That’s better, Down taking it to Gardner, smashing her through the covers. It opens the door to a more productive over, seven coming form it. They have to work through the gears here - an honourable 215-7 isn’t winning this. 22nd over: New Zealand 73-2 (Down 34, Kerr 2) Just 13 runs added from the last five overs, New Zealand losing Satterthwaite in that window. That’s one more than they should have too, with the captain Lanning misfielding the final ball of Carey’s over at cover. 21st over: New Zealand 71-2 (Down 33, Kerr 1) Singles to bookend the over, Down then Kerr finding the square leg sweeper off Gardner. The spinner is already through four overs, giving up only 11 runs. 20th over: New Zealand 69-2 (Down 32, Kerr 0) Kerr beaten twice in a row to complete the successful Carey over. A nervous start from the new No4 but she’s ready for this next level of responsibility. WICKET! Satterthwaite c Schutt b Carey 32 (New Zealand 69-2) That’s the big wicket for Australia, the White Ferns’ captain falling when trying to pop Carey down the ground over the top but not getting enough of it to clear Schutt at mid-on. An easy catch. 19th over: New Zealand 67-1 (Down 32, Satterthwaite 30) Gardner’s turn to race through a brisk over, giving up just one single to cover. “Brian Lara cricket swing,” tweets Jonathan Raimondi of Schutt’s wordly delivery to Jensen. That’s exactly what it was: video-game hoop. Although, Super International Cricket was more my vibe. 18th over: New Zealand 66-1 (Down 32, Satterthwaite 29) That’s a nice shot, Down steering Carey past point for her third boundary. 17th over: New Zealand 60-1 (Down 27, Satterthwaite 28) Gardner isn’t as consistent as Jonassen but she gives it such a big rip. Three further singles, continuing to build the foundation. Hannah Darlington, the New South Wales youngster on her first Australian tour, has joined the television commentary team for a guest stint. She maintains the company line about them not having discussed the ODI record on the shelf for them today. Hmm, yeah, sure. 16th over: New Zealand 57-1 (Down 25, Satterthwaite 27) This is a good little recovery from New Zealand after their very difficult start. But these two managed to ride that out, getting through the new ball, and now they’re doing a servicable job. Ooh, that’s nearly undone from the final ball before drinks though, Carey finding Down’s edge but Healy is up to the stumps so it deflects away. “Hi Adam.” Hello, Tanya Wintringham! “So good that you’re here - is it stupid o’clock where you are?” 1am, to be precise! But always lovely to be on the tools over here, whatever the time. “I missed the pre-match malarkey and the first over - have seen the ridiculous swing on the wicket delivery though - is Frankie McKay not playing because of injury?” Yup, she’s ruled out on account of the injury she picked up in that second T20. “Am very jealous of the Final Word trip to Pakistan and Brazil - am looking forward to the YouTube content on that one! There must be a DOB or two you can track down on your travels.” You should be part of it! Anyone can! Why are we going to Brazil and Pakistan? Well, help put the pieces together via our weekend show. 15th over: New Zealand 54-1 (Down 24, Satterthwaite 26) Spin from both ends now, Gardner brought on to have a go at Satterthwaite - she’s a good match-up to left-handers, turning it away from them. It’s Down on strike initially though, taking the partnership beyond 50 with a tuck to midwicket. Down has picked up the rate after 18 scoreless balls to begin, collecting 20 from her next 21 balls, the TV tells me. She’s not that convincing to finish, Gardner beating her with some extra dip, but her uppish clip doesn’t go to hand. 14th over: New Zealand 49-1 (Down 20, Satterthwaite 25) Down doesn’t show enough urgency with Wareham on the prowl at midwicket, sent back and nearly run out! The Victorian has already developed a reputation as one of the best ground fielders in the game. Had she been run out - and there was only an inch in it - it would have been doubly frustrating given she struck Jonassen over long-on for four the ball before it, her best shot of of the innings. 13th over: New Zealand 42-1 (Down 14, Satterthwaite 24) Satterthwaite over cover, just doing enough to get it over the fielder on the circle, the captain’s third boundary. Six from the Perry over. 12th over: New Zealand 36-1 (Down 13, Satterthwaite 20) Jonassen doing what she does best: racing through her over in about 75 seconds, giving up just one single along the way. She’s relentless. 11th over: New Zealand 35-1 (Down 12, Satterthwaite 20) With the field back, the New Zealand pair are happy enough taking three singles. It’s going to be fascinating watching the next stretch of Perry’s career. As Geoff Lemon and I discussed last week, she’s only 30 but has been doing this for 14 years. That has to take a toll, especially when you consider how much she also put into football. 10th over: New Zealand 32-1 (Down 10, Satterthwaite 19) Spin to finish the power play the the visitors, via Jess Jonassen. She used to bowl a lot of overs with the new ball, so the field up won’t worry her too much. It’s a good set for New Zealand though, even after an excellent diving stop from Schutt saved a boundary at mid-on. Nine off it after Satterthwaite dances and lofts over midwicket for four. 9th over: New Zealand 23-1 (Down 9, Satterthwaite 11) Ellyse Perry, welcome to the bowling crease. This is her first ODI since October 2019. She wasn’t called upon often in the T20s but is in her element here, finding Down’s outside edge with her second ball, through the cordon and down to the rope. A four-ball follows outside the off-stump but the opener can’t capitalise to make it back-to-back boundaries, missing her cut. All told, it’s not an especially potent over from the superstar, but something to build from. 8th over: New Zealand 17-1 (Down 4, Satterthwaite 11) Satterthwaite is far from daunted, drawing on her experience to clip Schutt away for a couple then working her to midwicket to tick the board over. Down is also easing into her work, able to tuck to fine leg for one. 7th over: New Zealand 13-1 (Down 3, Satterthwaite 8) Down is lucky here! She took on Vlaeminck’s short ball but didn’t get any of it, ending up at mid-off instead of midwicket, not quite carrying to the fielder. The quick gets away with a misdirected delivery down the legside later, “and the White Ferns need every run they can get,” adds Suzie Bates on commentary. Down then gets a couple through square pulling more successfully later in the set. 6th over: New Zealand 11-1 (Down 1, Satterthwaite 8) Shot. There’s New Zealand’s first boundary, timing Schutt past mid-on, beating the diving Jonassen on the edge of the fielding circle. Beforehand, Down was off the mark from her 19th ball with a push to mid-off. 5th over: New Zealand 5-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 3) It’s a game of survival for these two while the ball is moving around like this, Satterthwaite the cool head for such a mission. She does a better job handling Vlaeminck here, before grabbing a single behind point. 4th over: New Zealand 4-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 2) Masterful from Schutt, generating so much movement to Down that Lanning pops a catching short midwicket in by the end of the over. The right-hander has now faced 16 balls without getting off the mark but she’s also done well to make it this far given some of the gems she’s faced. 3rd over: New Zealand 3-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 1) Schutt is moving it one way, Vlaeminck the other. After misdirecting down the legside, she’s back on her mark, Satterthwaite off-strike via her pad. Sure enough, Down is beaten outside the off-stump to finish. That’s the right-hander match-up the quick will want next up. 2nd over: New Zealand 1-1 (Down 0, Satterthwaite 1) That Jensen dismissal gets better with every replay! In the air, it starts wider than the tramtracks on the off-side before going on to eventually hit leg stump. Staggering stuff. Ohhh, and she nearly does it again to finish, Down just up to the task. Between times, the captain Satterthwaite - a left-hander - was beaten by a long way before getting off the mark with a leading edge out to the covers. Remarkable movement. And here’s the wicket. Drink it in. WICKET! Jensen b Schutt 0 (New Zealand 0-1) Oh me! That’s the stuff of dreams from Schutt, bowling Jensen with her first ball with a massssssive inswinger. Extraordinary stuff! 1st over: New Zealand 0-0 (Down 0, Jensen 0) Delightful shape from Vlaeminck right away, beating Down’s outside edge with a classy outswinger. Serious pace, too - such an exciting combination, especially with her slingy side-on action. The pitch they are using today will also be used on the second and third ODIs, so it should have a bit of juice in it for the quicks early on. It’s a really good over throughout, giving it a chance to hoop throughout. A maiden. The players are on the field! Tayla Vlaeminck, the Bendigo Bullet, has the new ball in her hand for the first over of the match. Lauren Down is on strike, opening with Hayley Jensen. PLAY! A punchy and truthful tweet from Hayley Matthews. Difficult to believe the extent to which the Windies have regressed from this moment five years ago, the day they defeated Lanning’s Australians in the World T20 Final. The big question: why has this happened? A killer fact from the best women’s cricket statistician in the world. So, that explains why they’re bowling first. New Zealand XI as named: Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Amy Satterthwaite (capt) Amelia Kerr, Karey Martin, Maddy Green (wk), Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair. Meg Lanning at the toss. “We have chased well in the past so we’re looking to getting out in the field early.” She says they “haven’t spoken at all” about the ODI record. Amy Satterthwaite says she also would have bowled. Lea Tahuhu is back for the White Ferns, which really does bolster the New Zealand seam attack. “Any win we get over them is a special one (their T20 triumph on Monday) and gives us confidence of what we can do in this series.” Australia as named: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (capt), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaemnick. Meg Lanning has won the toss And she’s popped New Zealand in Preamble Welcome to the first ODI between New Zealand and Australia from the always gorgeous Bay Oval at Mount Maunganui. Had the world been a different place over the last year, this would have been a ground where both teams featured in the World Cup earlier in 2021, but instead we have to wait until early 2022 for that after it delayed because of Covid complications. It makes these 50-over hit-outs all the more important as both teams build to that major event. In the immediate term, there’s another landmark in mind for the Australians: if they can get over the line today, it will be their 22nd ODI triumph on the bounce, the most ever. They currently are level with Ricky Ponting’s 2003 team on 21 victories. It’s even more special that this run started back in 2018 for Meg Lanning’s charges. Of course, it was the White Ferns who they most recently whitewashed in this format, three-zip in Brisbane in October. Between times, India’s visit didn’t happen so they’ve only been able to turn out in the green and gold again against New Zealand in T20s finishing on Wednesday, that series split one-all with a washout. It will be Amy Satterthwaite in charge for the hosts, standing in as skipper for Sophie Devine who is resting after reportedly missing the final two T20s due exhaustion. As for Australia, they are a model of consistency at the selection table. What will be of interest when the coin goes up is whether quick Darcie Brown gets picked for an ODI debut after making her bow in the T20s. We’ll find out shortly!