After 13 years between the innings, the Aussie Spirit open their Olympic campaign today against host nation, Japan in Fukushima.

The game will be streamed live through 7plus and on 7Mate.

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Game times:

• 10am – AEST

• 9:30am – ACST

• 8:00am - AWST

The two nations have competed against each other internationally 187 times over the past 70 years.

Australia’s Olympic record against the 2008 Gold Medallists is tight, with four wins and four losses, over the past four Olympic campaigns. Australia’s best win came at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, defeating Japan 10 runs to 0. In the four Olympic losses, Australia has never lost to Japan by greater than one run.

Australia’s line up is full of international experience, with a combined number of 2032 international games. Stacey Porter is Australia’s only athlete with Olympic experience.

Key players in the Spirit's line up include captain, Porter and pitcher, Kaia Parnaby. The Japanese, however, will not give Porter too much to hit, so those around her, including Taylah Tsitsikronis and Chelsea Forkin will be key to converting runs.

For Japan, Eri Yamada and Yukiko Ueno should feature in the lineup as well as Yanato Fujita. Japan are ranked number two in the world and are the defending Olympic champions after defeating USA in the 2008 Olympic final in Beijing.

The last time Australia faced Japan was at the 2020 Australia Pacific Cup at the venue of the 2020 Sydney Olympics, losing the final but gaining a lot of experience.