Zazeannah Walker 
West Indies Women suffered a narrow defeat in the opening One-Day International here Monday, to fall behind in the three-match series at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
In a rain-marred contest reduced to 35 overs per side due to protracted delay at the start, West Indies Women gathered 168 for seven with Chinelle Henry top-scoring with 44 batting at number seven and Kyshona Knight hitting 36.
In reply, Player-of-the-Match Suzie Bates top-scored with 51 from 65 deliveries while Amelia Kerr chipped in with an important 47.
Off-spinning all-rounder and captain Hayley Matthews captured three for 28 but when bad light ended play abruptly, the visitors were 159 for five off 33 overs – five runs ahead on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.
“Unfortunately, bad light gave New Zealand the result but we have two more games to look forward to so we have to pick ourselves up and keep moving,” Henry said post-match.
Sent in, West Indies Women made a steady start through the recalled Natasha McLean (20) and Rashada Williams (19) who put on 29 for the first wicket.
However, once the partnership was broken, the home side lost five wickets for 45 runs to collapse to 74 for five in the 21st over, before Henry and Knight patched up the innings with an 83-run, sixth wicket stand.
Henry faced 34 balls and struck four fours while Knight played the supporting role in a 61-ball knock which included a single four.
In reply, Bates anchored two key stands up front to put New Zealand in control of the chase. First, she put on 54 for the first wicket with captain Sophie Devine who mde 25 from 24 balls, before adding a further 47 for the second wicket with Kerr.
Bates counted half-dozen fours in a 65-ball stay at the crease before falling in the 21st over while Kerr faced 67 deliveries and lashed four fours in posting another 31 for the third wicket with Maddy Green (18).
A collapse where three wickets tumbled for 18 runs made the finish interesting before bad light became the ultimate factor.
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