Rebecca Rolls proved to be the White Ferns' star batter

The inaugural Twenty20 women's international was won by a strong New Zealand side as they beat England in Hove by nine runs on Thursday.

Wicket-keeper Rebecca Rolls led the way for the White Ferns with 39 off just 32 balls as the tourists set Clare Connor's girls a tough 132 to win.

Rosalie Birch took 4-27 and England fielded well, taking all their catches.

But their batting was less impressive, barring Claire Taylor's fine 43 off 33 balls, with boundaries hard to come by.

New Zealand won the toss and soon reached a platform of 79-1 through Rolls and skipper Maia Lewis.

They fell away in the latter half of their innings as the slower bowling of Birch proved effective.

England lost two early wickets, before Taylor and Charlotte Edwards (34) put on 43 for the third wicket.

But Edwards struggled for timing and by the time she was out, the required run rate proved too tough for the remaining batters, who could not quite hit enough boundaries.

Aimee Mason took 3-27 and Rebecca Steele bowled some accurate slow left-arm stuff, conceding just 14 runs from her four overs.

England Women: N J Shaw, C M Edwards, L K Newton, S C Taylor, C J Connor (Capt), L Greenway, R A Birch, J Gunn, J Smit (Wkt), L C Pearson, I T Guha.