BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — West Indies defeated New Zealand by 23 runs to win the first match of the Women’s Twenty20 International Tri-Series on Monday night at Kensington Oval.

Deandra Dottin slammed a half-century to resurrect a floundering innings as West Indies, batting first, posted 104 for six, while Anisa Mohammed led a bowling assault by grabbing five wickets, as New Zealand were bowled out for 81.

The Caribbean side lost wickets early and were reeling on 18 for three in the fifth over after the dismissal of Stafanie Taylor, Juliana Nero and captain Merissa Aguilleira, who had promoted herself in the batting order.

Taylor was stumped for five, Nero was caught at point for two, and Aguilleira was caught at mid-wicket for three.

But the arrival of Dottin, playing in front of her home crowd, pulled the innings around and revived a staggering run flow.

The Barbadian batter outscored Kyshona Knight, whom she met at the wicket racing to 52 in 50 balls before she was run out.

Dottin hit three fours and two sixes in consecutive balls over long-off and over long-on and shared in an important 50-run stand with Knight, who scored 20 before she was caught by Nicola Browne at mid-off diving to her left.

Stacy Ann King scored 12 and provided good support to Dottin, who was run out with the first ball of the last over after standing her ground and ball watching, as King came charging down.

New Zealand ran into early trouble on the chase after losing two early wickets by way of the run out route as a result of impressing fielding by the West Indians.

The prized scalp of Suzie Bates went for eight due to excellent fielding by King and Tramayne Smartt, while Browne was also run out also due to quick work in the field from Smartt and Aguilleira.

Smartt bowled a tight spell that resulted in a wicket for 12 runs, while Taylor also grabbed a wicket to set the stage for Mohammed’s spin attack that destroyed the rest of the batting.

New Zealand at some stage threatened to take the game to the wire on the hope of a 40-run stand in just five overs between Amy Satterthwaite and Rachel Priest.

Priest was caught at deep square leg for 22, while Satterwaite was stumped on 31 by Aguilleira with the visitors still needing 34 from 21 balls.

But Mohammed proved too much, finishing with five wickets for 12 runs from her four overs, including three wickets in one over, to stifle any ambitions of a New Zealand revival.