New Zealand earn first points with win over Bangladesh

After restricting their opponents in a rain-shortened encounter, Suzie Bates and Amelia Kerr knocked off their target with few alarms

Dunedin: Bangladesh 140-8 (27 overs per side), New Zealand 144-1 - New Zealand win by nine wickets

New Zealand secured their first win of the Women's World Cup at the second attempt, beating Bangladesh – and the weather – to earn their first points in Dunedin.

Persistent rain saw the clash reduced to 27 overs per side, with Sophie Devine winning an important toss, given the possibility of DLS intervention, and opting to chase.

Having been defeated by West Indies in the tournament opener, and with Bangladesh playing at their first 50-over World Cup, the White Ferns could ill-afford to slip up again so soon.

They were made to work initially by Nigar Sultana's side, with Shamima Sultana and Fargana Hoque running the hosts ragged in the opening exchanges. The pair put on 59 for the first wicket in just 56 balls, before off-spinner Frankie Mackay had the former caught sweeping for 33.

Once the captain fell soon afterwards, under-edging an attempted cut at a rank longhop, the innings ground to a halt. Hoque was run out once passing fifty, pushing the ball back to Mackay, who promptly threw down the stumps, just as she did twice in New Zealand's recent ODI series against India.

^{Conditions were less than ideal in Dunedin (Sanka Vidanagama/AFP via Getty Images)}

Mackay was involved in another runout for good measure, combining with Suzie Bates to dismiss Salma Khatun, while Amy Satterthwaite picked up three wickets. Hayley Jensen had Sobhana Mostary caught at deep midwicket, with the Kerr sisters – Jess and Amelia – both wicketless.

New Zealand's riposte was emphatic, chasing down their 141-run target with seven overs to spare, albeit in conditions that were less than ideal and drew the frustration of Sultana in the post-match press conference.

Devine, fresh off her century in a losing cause against West Indies, departed for 14 after misjudging the length of a ball that was too full to cut.

Bates and Amelia Kerr ensured there were no further alarms, however, adding an unbroken stand of 108 in just 13.2 overs to mop up a vital win, even at this early stage of the competition.