Neil Boughton: Banton was our best batsman in the series T20 series against Pakistan as an opener, his natural position, yet gets pushed down the order for 2 natural middle order batsmen?! Talk about big name bias!

Starc lobs one down at 90mph and it bounces again after the stumps before reaching wicketkeeper Alex Carey. It doesn't look like the quickest of pitches.

Bairstow gets forward and drives the next ball. He doesn't time it but gets enough for the first four.

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

T20 is the one format where you feel you genuinely miss the crowd.

David Warner, chirpy as ever, shouts something from his fielding position. He's smiling. There'll be no "we've seen you cry on the tele" chants today.

The first runs off the bat come as Buttler clips through mid-wicket.

Mitchell Starc begins with a massive wide! What were we saying about their six-month break between matches?

"Let's play."

Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler punch gloves before making their way to each end of the wicket. It's overcast but dry at the moment.

Mitchell Starc is going to open the bowling.

There's no crowd but the music is still booming out at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.

Spectators or no spectators, this should be good.

Steve Smith, speaking to Sky Sports, on facing Jofra Archer: "It should be good fun. Hopefully he doesn't bowl too well for the next two weeks. He's a terrific bowler and his skills are continually getting better and better. Hopefully we can put a bit of pressure on hi this series."

On the absence of crowds: "I'm going to miss that. It's always good fun, the atmosphere here in England - whether they're with or against you. We've got to get used to the new normal for now with no-one in the stands."

Personally I'd go with Banton and Bairstow with Buttler coming in further down. Jason Roy is injured for this T20 series, if you're wondering.

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England women's batter on BBC Test Match Special

It's going to be a really good series. England's bowling in the powerplay has been lacklustre. They needed the senior bowlers back. They also have a pretty powerful batting line-up. It just keeps coming at you.

On Steve Smith, the Australia batsman is averaging 83.33 in this format since being recalled in October 2019.

Of course he is.

Australia batsman Steve Smith, speaking to Sky Sports, on lockdown: "It was tough a ttime. I love my cricket; I love my batting. But it was nice to have a bit of a break and freshen up mentally or phyciscally.

"I did a bit of running, some weights, a bit of guitar, spent some time with the wife. But it's nice to be back playing cricket again."

Incoming hundred from this man, obviously...

Image source, Getty Images

Australia captain Aaron Finch on 2019 World Cup semi-final defeat against England: "It still hurts no doubt. Every time you see a scorecard or anything pops up on TV it hurts. We were outplayed on that day. That can provide really good motivation but you don't want it to provide a mental block."

Image source, Getty Images

It's five months and 22 days since Australia's last official cricket match. That was a 50-over game against New Zealand.

It's also the first white-ball match between the sides since the World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston.

We all remember that one...

Image source, Getty Images

Those two teams are packed with talent. It looks like both have favoured the extra bowler over batsman.

England: Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wk), Dawid Malan, Tom Banton, Eoin Morgan (capt), Moeen Ali, Chris Jordan, Tom Curran, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid.

Australia: Aaron Finch (capt), David Warner, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Alex Carey (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa.

Umpires: Martin Saggers, Alex Wharf; TV umpire: David Millns.

England captain Eoin Morgan, speaking to Sky Sports, on opening with Jos Buttler: "The most important thing for us is to maximise the potential that we have. Jos has been fine at the top of the order - one of our strongest points. We'll see over the course of the next year or so and see how we go."

On taking early wickets: "Trying to find inroads in those first six (overs) is key for us. Hopefully that starts today. If not, we'll continue to explore different options."