Speaking of starting families, no Lauren Down for New Zealand today.

Down returned to the White Fearns squad for this white-ball series against England after taking a break to give birth to her first child.

The 29-year-old batter has played 41 internationals for the White Ferns with her last appearance coming during the 2023 T20 World Cup.

Image source, Getty Images

BBC chief cricket writer Stephan Shemilt recently spoke to England all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt.

The interview covering a wide range of topics including plans to start a family with her wife Katherine, and why she has chosen to freeze her eggs to facilitate that alongside her professional cricket career.

You can read more here...

England: Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight (c), Nat Sciver-Brunt, Danni Wyatt, Amy Jones (wk), Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell.

New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (c), Maddy Green, Brooke Halliday, Izzy Gaze (wk), Hannah Rowe, Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Fran Jonas.

England captain Heather Knight: "I'd have batted as well. The surface looks a little dry so it might spin at some point.

On the mood of the camp ahead of the series: “We’ve been playing predominantly T20. We’re well into the season and there have been some good performances from the girls in domestic cricket.

“The last performance against Pakistan at Chelmsford in one-day cricket was the blueprint of how we want to play.

On England’s attack: “Nat Sciver-Brunt is not allowed to bowl her full allocation because of her knee. That affects the balance a little bit. And we wanted to play the three spinners."

Image source, Getty Images

Now these two sides played each other fairly recently.

As recently as March and April earlier this year, in fact, when England travelled to New Zealand for a three-match ODI series (which they won 2-1) and five T20 internationals (4-1 victors)

Heather Knight's side will be hot favourites again as the look to continue that winning feeling as they look towards the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine: "We think it's a reasonably new wicket so we want first crack at it to get a good score on the board.

"We're fizzing to get out there and playing again. It'll be a good challenge for us, we've been in various camps now for about seven weeks.

"We've got a few young members in the squad that we are going to be keeping an eye on for the future. England in their own back yard is always a good challenge."

Image source, Getty Images

Heather Knight has given the coin a flick and Sophie Devine calls tails.

It has indeed come down a tail.

Unsurprisingly given the conditions the New Zealand skipper has decided to bat first.

Without further ado, Heather Knight and Sophie Devine are out in the middle ready for the toss.

Image source, BBC Weather

The temperatures are expected to hover around 20c (68 if you happen to work in Fahrenheit) so it will not be unbearably hot for the players and spectators in Durham.

Sun is shining, weather is sweet, yeah.

Heard the strains of Bob Marley's iconic vocal chords on the radio a little earlier and it feels, after the past few months, that summer has really arrived with the heatwave we are having.

It's even warm up in the north east of the UK where England face New Zealand in the first of three one-day internationals.

Whether you're at the beach, relaxing in the park, or just keeping cool at home we will bring you all the key moments from today's contest at Chester-le-Street.

Stick with us.