Southern Stars to remain aggressive

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have vowed to continue attacking as they look to level their Twenty20 International series against the White Ferns on Tuesday at Wellington's Basin Reserve.

The Southern Stars suffered a four-wicket loss in Sunday's first game, with key wickets mid-way through the innings stalling the tourists after positive starts from captain Meg Lanning (30 from 28 balls) and Ellyse Perry (17 from 15 balls).

Batter Elyse Villani, who was recalled to the Australia XI on Sunday after missing last month's T20 series against India, said despite a below-par total of 7-113 the Stars had approached their batting innings with the right attitude on Sunday.

"It was pretty obvious we didn’t have enough runs on the board," Villani said on the eve of the second T20I.

"Our bowlers did a pretty good job but as a batting unit we'd like to have given them a few more runs to bowl at, so it's just a matter of getting few more partnerships together and making sure we really take it to them as a batting unit.

"I think everyone showed good intent on Sunday but it didn’t come off and no one got going.

"It's a matter of looking to be really positive and score off as many balls as possible, and I think the boundaries will come off that."

The Southern Stars are seeking to consolidate their batting line-up ahead of next month's World T20, having opted for a new opening partnership of Lanning and Beth Mooney on Sunday, and bringing Villani back into the line-up in place of allrounder Grace Harris.

They have just two games remaining against New Zealand and a warm-up clash against West Indies in Chennai, before their World T20 title defence begins in earnest against South Africa on March 18.

Villani, meanwhile, is relishing her return to the international fold, rewarded for strong form in the latter stages of the Rebel Women's Big Bash League.

"We're in a pretty good position now in terms of the group dynamic, we have a core group that's been together for a while now which makes it easy to travel together and to float in and out.

"I'm excited to be back among the group."

The final two T20Is between Australia and New Zealand will be streamed live on cricket.com.au and via the Cricket Australia Live App and on BLACKCAPS TV, with Cricket Australia and New Zealand Cricket joining forces to broadcast the matches.

Tuesday's game at Basin Reserve will kick off at 2pm AEDT, with the third and final game to be played in New Plymouth on Friday, March 4 (2pm AEDT).