Heather Knight has produced a fine captain's innings, compiling an impressive 89 to spearhead her England side's 30-run victory in the first one-day international against New Zealand at Bristol.

Knight helped England recover from a mini-collapse which saw them slide from 1-109 to 5-140 before they were eventually bowled out for 241 after batting first on Thursday.

Katherine Brunt, who made 43 as England rallied, then starred with the ball, bowling four successive maidens at the start of New Zealand's innings.

The Kiwis were never too far behind the run rate, but lost wickets at key times, and despite a well-made 79 not out from Amy Satterthwaite which occasionally threatened to turn the game around, England remained on top to draw first blood in the series.

While Brunt tied down one end, it was Nat Sciver who made the early breakthroughs as she dismissed the experienced Suzie Bates and fellow opener Lauren Down cheaply.

Knight, who had caught Bates, then took a low diving catch off the bowling of Kate Cross to dismiss Maddy Green for 19, leaving New Zealand struggling on 3-31 off 12 overs.

A resolute 78-run partnership between Sophie Devine and Satterthwaite eased their side out of trouble but that came to an end when the Kiwi captain, having scored 34, drove Cross straight to Lauren Winfield-Hill at mid on.

After Sophie Ecclestone had claimed two wickets in two balls, New Zealand soon slumped to 7-132 and though Lea Tahuhu struck 25 from 14 balls and Satterthwaite hit 10 fours in her 87-ball knock, they couldn't see New Zealand home.

England clinched victory in the 47th over when Leigh Kasperek was run out for 15, with Brunt finishing with figures of 1-22 from her eight overs while Ecclestone, Sciver and Cross all took two wickets apiece.

England, having lost the toss, had earlier been given a solid platform by their top three, with Knight starring.

"She's been struggling a little bit with her hamstrings but Heather being Heather, she keeps fighting away, keeps battling, she's desperate to play every game for this team," her admiring teammate Brunt said.

"Just having her on the pitch makes us a much better team so we just want to keep her on it."