While they made two brilliant catches, the White Ferns will have to make the easy ones stick if they are to launch a comeback in their series against England.
The Suzie Bates-skippered side lost by 48 runs to the tourists at Seddon Park, Hamilton, for their second defeat in the five-match Twenty20 series.
The Ferns, after winning the toss and having the tourists pad up, dropped three crucial catches, two in the early stages, to let the openers run away with a total of 166-7 in 20 overs.
"It was certainly part of it. We caught the difficult ones but dropped the easy ones so we'll be aware of it the next time," vice-captain Amy Satterthwaite said, referring to Kate Broadmore and Frances Mackay who took the difficult catches.
The hosts needed to alternate between a pace bowler and a spinner to upset the rhythm of the batsmen.