14:56 IST:

Pitch Report – Ian Smith is pitchside and first warns that the temperature is going to rise into the mid 30s, but also notes that there is a good breeze on the field. Regarding dimensions, he explains that the square boundaries measure evenly at 59 metres, while the straight strike to the ground is 71 metres, with the pockets sitting at 69 and 70 meters respectively, making them a touch shallow for those looking to ramp up or scoop using the ball’s speed behind them. Alan Wilkins also joins in and says that the biggest change over the years has been the bounce, and he emphasizes that bounce is the story in this game as well. He referred to the West Indies vs Sri Lanka match where Hayley Matthews took three early wickets, all on the bounce. He recalls Vismi being caught and bowled, Mathews himself taking a brilliant catch, before he saw Athapaththu bowled over the off stump and Samarawickrama caught at backward point. Three wickets, a common formula, Allen underlines, with extra bounce resulting in a loss every time. With New Zealand winning the toss, Allen identified Amelia Kerr as the important person for her today. He believes that if Kerr hits the ball as well as Matthews and gets the ball to the right areas, he has the best chance of leading New Zealand to victory here in Bristol.