White Ferns 120-7 (Sophie Devine 40, Suzie Bates 32, Tremayne Smart 3-17) beat the West Indies Women 88 all out after 18.1 overs (Natasha McLean 22, Hayley Jensen 2-11, Sophie Devine 2-19) by 32 runs
The White Ferns took victory by 32 runs in the opening Twenty20 International against the West Indies Women at Queens Park Oval in Invercargill.
Having been asked to bat first, the White Ferns got off to a strong start but lost momentum late on and finished the innings at 120 for seven. However, the West Indies response was crippled by the loss of regular wickets, with a combined effort in the field from the White Ferns seeing them dismissed for 88 after 18.1 overs.
Captain Suzie Bates (32) and Sophie Devine (40) gave the home side the best possible start, putting on 53 for the opening wicket. Following Bates dismissal in the eighth over, Devine took the reins, but her own departure five overs later triggered somewhat of a collapse for the White Ferns.
The middle-order failed to provide any partnerships of note, with 14 from Katie Perkins the next biggest contribution after the openers.
Opening bowler Tremayne Smartt was the chief wicket-taker for the West Indies, claiming figures of three for 17 from four overs.
While it was a below-par total, the White Ferns bowlers would come out firing and put the West Indies under huge pressure early on.
Natasha McLean made 22, but the rest of the West Indies top-order buckled, with all of the Kiwi bowlers contributing.
Sophie Devine (2-19) and Hayley Jensen (2-11) led with two wickets apiece, while four other bowlers took a scalp each.
The lower-order pair of Shaquana Quintyne (18) and Vanessa Watts (16) fought hard, but two run-outs late on ended proceedings to give the White Ferns their fourth victory on the trot.
The two sides will play the second of five Twenty20s at Queens Park tomorrow.
