Charlotte Edwards
Ex-England captain on BBC 5 live sports extra

I'm surprised South Africa are giving Ismail a second over. Suzie and Sophie looked like they liked hitting her pace in that first over.

Kapp keeps her line and length tighter than Ismail - just allowing a single for Devine and a two for Bates.

The crowd, as ever at Taunton, sound pretty boisterous - sounds like there's a lot of school kids in.

Lydia Greenway
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

South Africa have to bowl straight to these two, not give them any width.

If Suzie Bates were a CD player, she'd be switched to "repeat" - the next two balls from Ismail are also smashed through the covers.

So after three fours, a five and a no-ball, that's a pretty disastrous first over from Ismail.

Image source, Rex Features

Lydia Greenway
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

A brilliant shot by Bates - she's freed her hands and powered is through the off side. This is frustrating for Ismail.

Shabnim Ismail will open the bowling with Kapp as usual - but she won't be happy as Devine pushes to third man and a wild throw misses the stumps at the bowler's end and disappears for four overthrows - so Devine has scored a five!

It doesn't get any better for Ismail when the right-arm pace bowler oversteps for a no-ball, earning Bates a free hit - which sits up for Bates to hammer through extra cover for four.

Captain Suzie Bates gets New Zealand going with a dab to third man. Her opening partner Sophie Devine replies with a risky single but just makes her ground at the bowler's end. Kapp finishes the over with a strong lbw appeal against Bates - the umpire is unmoved.

Both these teams have deviated from their regular ODI kit for the T20 format - NZ's traditional black has large splashes of pink across the front and bat, while SA's dark green is augmented by bright yellow across the arms and shoulders.

Marizanne Kapp has ball in hand at the River End. Let's play.

England's men garnered plenty of attention yesterday when they scored 481-6 against Australia at Trent Bridge, setting a new record total for men's one-day internationals.

However, it's still not the biggest score made in ODIs - as New Zealand's women have warmed up for this series by, let's be fair, taking Ireland to the cleaners in a series of ODIs across the Irish Sea. And they racked up 490-4 in the first ODI, external which set a new milestone for any ODI cricket.

South Africa (and England) beware...

Lydia Greenway
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

It's always a very quick outfield here, the ball tends to fly around so New Zealand need to set a big score.

If you think you've tuned into the wrong sport, yes it is "Nessun Dorma" you can hear being sung in the background on TMS, sung by the opera singer Laura Wright who has performed at many cricket internationals.

...that New Zealand were due to take part in the opening game of the first ever Women's World Cup, on 20 June 1973, where they were drawn to play Jamaica. (Yes, Jamaica - not West Indies, who did not compete as a unified women's team until 1976).

Unfortunately, as the excellent NZ Cricket Museum website recounts,, external the match at London's Kew Green was abandoned without a ball bowled. The White Ferns will be hoping for better at Taunton today.

Isabelle Westbury
Former Middlesex captain on BBC Test Match Special

New Zealand bat right down. Amelia Kerr, who broke all those records last week scoring 232 against Ireland, is batting at six!

Lydia Greenway
Ex-England batter on BBC Test Match Special

It's quite a big call from Soiuth Africa for Wolvaardt to open, as she struggled to accelerate in that last ODI. But the straight boundaries here at Taunton are quite short, so Lizelle Lee will have no trouble clearing them.

Natalie Germanos
BBC Test Match Special commentator

Chloe Tryon is not playing today, she's due to have a scan. Laura Wolvaardt is set to open the batting with Lizelle Lee.

...is a bit sketchy at this stage. We certainly know New Zealand are playing three spinners.

But it's a warm welcome to Test Match Special who have taken to the airwaves. Click the button at the top of the page to listen to Natalie Germanos and the team.

First up, the news from the middle is that South Africa have won the toss and elected to field.

Afternoon, everyone. Time to point your cricketing eyes towards Taunton, where England, South Africa and New Zealand begin a women's Twenty20 tri-series, where the group games are going to be played as three double-headers - with each team taking their turn to play two matches in one day.

South Africa and New Zealand are up first (13:00 BST), followed by the Proteas taking on England (17:40).