Knight holds the fort until reinforcements arrive
A captain’s knock from England’s Heather Knight led the visitors to victory over the White Ferns in the first T20 in Dunedin.
Knight scored a quick-fire 63 off 39 balls to help England to a total of 160-4 their 20 overs.
Despite a solid innings from New Zealand’s stand-in captain Suzie Bates, the hosts fell short by 27 runs.
Spinner Fran Jonas was the first to strike for New Zealand getting Tammy Beaumont, in her 100th T20I, caught out for 15 in the fifth over.
Lea Tahuhu had Sophia Dunkley caught behind for 32 three overs later before Knight and Maia Bouchier (43 not out) settled in for a 91-run thirdwicket partnership.
Bates called on six bowlers to try to dismiss England with Jess Kerr returning the best figures of 1-26 off her four overs.
Knight was out in the penultimate over as England tried to push the score and was quickly followed by Amy Jones, run out with three balls left.
The White Ferns’ reply got off to a shaky start when opener Izzy Gaze was dismissed for a duck with the third ball of the innings.
Wellington’s Georgia Plimmer, who had been called into the White Ferns squad this week as cover, was the next to go for 21 off 24 balls.
Bates held strong on her home ground, bringing up her half-century off 42 balls and pushing on to score 65 before Lauren Bell picked up her second wicket.
Maddy Green was run out for 8 but Brooke Halliday (27 not out) combined with Bates to try to move New Zealand closer to victory.
When Bates was dismissed, Mikaela Greig, who was on White Ferns debut, joined Halliday at the crease but was run out by Beaumont without scoring.
A late flurry from Kerr of eight from six balls was not enough to get New Zealand home as they finished their 20 overs at 133-5.
The second game of the five match series is tomorrow from 1pm in Nelson.
The White Ferns are expected to have regular captain Sophie Devine and star allrounder Amelia Kerr back for game two after stints in the WPL in India. England are without four of their best players for the first three T20s, with Nat Sciver-brunt, Danni Wyatt, Sophie Ecclestone and Alice Capsey having played in the WPL.