Australia bowl first as they chase world record

The first ODI is being broadcast live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo Sports. Play begins at 9am AEST

Australia will bowl first in the first ODI against New Zealand at Bay Oval as they set their sights on a record-breaking 22nd consecutive win in the format.

Meg Lanning won the toss and elected to chase, an unsurprising choice given both her team’s and her own strong records batting second at the Tauranga ground; Australia successfully chased in their four most recent visits to the ground, with Lanning hitting tons in three of those.

Australia are aiming to break the world record they share with Ricky Ponting’s team of 2003 by winning a record 22nd consecutive ODI, continuing a streak that stretches 941 days back to March 2018. Their last defeat in the format came in October 2017.

Australia have named a full-strength line-up for the first of the three Rose Bowl matches, with Ellyse Perry and Tayla Vlaeminck set to play their first ODIs since October 2019.

The tourists have stuck with the same XI they named for the washed out third T20I in Auckland and have made three changes to their most recent ODI side that played New Zealand in Brisbane last year.

Allrounders Sophie Molineux, Tahlia McGrath and Annabel Sutherland (who is injured and not in New Zealand) are the three incumbents from that side to miss out, making way for Perry, Vlaeminck and skipper Lanning, who sat out that final one-dayer at Allan Border Field due to a hamstring niggle.

New Zealand are without captain Sophie Devine, who will miss the ODI series, but have been bolstered by the return of fast bowler Lea Tahuhu from a hamstring injury.

Devine didn’t play the final two T20Is against Australia due to fatigue and the decision has now been made for her to take a period of rest, with the allrounder to leave the White Ferns squad in Tauranga and return home.

It means Amy Satterthwaite will continue to lead the side as stand-in skipper.

They are also aiming to maintain their stranglehold on the Rose Bowl trophy, which they have held since 2000.

New Zealand XI: Hayley Jensen, Lauren Down, Amy Satterthwaite (c), Amelia Kerr, Katey Martin (wk), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Lea Tahuhu, Rosemary Mair

Australia XI: Alyssa Healy (wk), Rachael Haynes, Meg Lanning (c), Ellyse Perry, Beth Mooney, Ashleigh Gardner, Nicola Carey, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Wareham, Megan Schutt, Tayla Vlaeminck

CommBank tour of New Zealand 2021

Australia ODI & T20I Squad: Meg Lanning (c), Rachael Haynes (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Tahlia McGrath, Sophie Molineux, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Molly Strano, Georgia Wareham, Belinda Vakarewa, Tayla Vlaeminck

New Zealand ODI squad: Amy Satterthwaite (capt), Lauren Down, Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Hayley Jensen, Leigh Kasperek, Amelia Kerr, Jess Kerr, Frances Mackay, Rosemary Mair, Katey Martin (wk), Hannah Rowe, Lea Tahuhu

1st T20: Australia won by six wickets

2nd T20: New Zealand won by four wickets

3rd T20: Play abandoned due to rain

1st ODI: April 4, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 9am AEDT

2nd ODI: April 7, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

3rd ODI: April 10, Bay Oval, Tauranga, 12noon AEDT

All matches will be shown live in Australia on Fox Cricket and Kayo