A batting collapse has cost the Black Caps dearly in their opening match of five one-day internationals against the West Indies in Guyana.
Batting first, the New Zealanders scored 267, being all out with one ball of their 50 overs remaining.
The West Indies, thanks to a partnership of 131 between Keacy Carty (95 from 112 balls) and captain Shai Hope (87 not out from 92), timed the chase well, claiming a seven wicket victory with seven balls remaining.
The Black Caps got away to a good start, with Will Young (49 from 63 balls) and Henry Nicholls (27 from 43) putting on 80 for the first wicket and Mark Chapman (27 from 26) and Daryl Mitchell continued on, with Mitchell top-scoring with 65 from 73.
Things were looking good when he and Tom Latham (25 from 30) were at the wicket and they were 169 for three in the 33rd over when Latham was adjudged lbw. Mitchell and Michael Bracewell (29 from 31) took New Zealand to 234 for four but Bracewell's departure triggered a collapse with the last six wickets falling for 33 runs.
Alzarri Joseph took two wickets in the final over to finish with four from 41, while Vitel Lawes took three for 54 on a wicket of low bounce and occasional sharp turn.
The Black Caps removed Windies opener John Campbell early, but after the loss Ackeem Auguste for 38, Carty and Hope settled in for the match-winning partnership, with the bowlers unable to achieve a breakthrough until Carty, with a century in sight, opted for a slog sweep in the 44th over, with Nathan Smith snaffling a catch in the deep off Bracewell's bowling.
The Black Caps thought they had Carty out 10 overs earlier when he swung his bat on to his stumps after hitting a six. But the third umpire ruled that Carty had completed his stroke. If he had hit the stumps while playing the shot he would have been out.
Hope and Sherfane Rutherford (22 not out off 16) needed 13 runs when the second last over started, and Hope smacked debutant Matt Fisher's first ball for six, and after he scored a single, Rutherford sealed it on the fifth with another six.
Fisher bowled well but without luck, and Duffy, Bracewell and Jayden Lennox took one wicket each.
The second ODI will be played in Guyana on Tuesday.
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