Sam Bates has risen like a phoenix in the ongoing tenth edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) leading the charge for the Sydney Thunder after enduring a challenging 2023-24 season she would prefer to leave behind.
The left-arm spinner entered last year’s WBBL campaign with minimal preparation, having spent 10 months sidelined due to a significant navicular bone injury in her foot. Unsurprisingly, her performances reflected the lack of readiness. Over 14 innings, Bates managed only five wickets at an average of 66, with a best of 1/6. By the end of that season, her cricketing future looked bleak—she lost her state contract, left Melbourne, and returned to Newcastle.
However, a lifeline from Cricket New South Wales (NSW) and the opportunity to work alongside an Australian legend completely transformed her fortunes. Now, Bates is dominating WBBL 10, topping the wickets tally with an impressive 17 scalps from eight matches at a stellar average of 10.58. Her best performance this season—a remarkable 4/21—has further cemented her place as the Golden Arm of the tournament.
“I’ve been feeling really good. Cricket’s a fickle sport, right? When you’re on, you’re on, and when you’re off, you’re really off. So, it’s been nice to be able to contribute,” Bates shared.
The end of WBBL 09 brought more challenges. Bates was dropped from Victoria’s Women’s National Cricket League (WNCL) playing XI after Sophie Molineux, another left-arm spinner, returned from injury. With Sophie Day also delivering career-best performances, Bates’ time in Victoria came to an end, leaving her without a state contract.
Despite the hurdles, her connection with Sydney Thunder proved invaluable. “I still had a year on my contract with Thunder, so they allowed me to train with the NSW Breakers,” Bates said about her 2024 preseason preparation. She admitted to being “really underdone” during the previous season, prompting a period of self-reflection and hard work.
A turning point came when Lisa Sthalekar, the Australian cricket legend, began working with the NSW spinners. Bates and Sthalekar immediately hit it off, sharing a mutual understanding of the game.
“I’ve played a bit of cricket with her and idolised her a little bit,” Bates admitted. “It was cool to figure out that we have similar mindsets on how we see cricket, and how we go about our cricket.”
Donning the sky-blue cap of her home state was a dream come true for Bates, who started her career with ACT in 2009-10 before stints in Tasmania and Victoria. Her preseason work with Sthalekar and other coaches paid dividends as she refined her style and approach.
Bates’ resurgence reflects the overall improvement of the Thunder, who endured back-to-back last place finishes before making the knockouts in WBBL 09. Now, they sit atop the table with five wins from eight games in WBBL 10. Bates credits her teammates for enabling her success.
“I think our batters have been doing an outstanding job with the bat in order for me to toss the ball up and take wickets,” Bates explained. “I think Shabnim Ismail at the other end has bowled exceptionally well for me to come in and build a lot of pressure. I think it’s all coming together for us.”
As Sydney Thunder prepare to face the Melbourne Stars on November 20, Bates will look to maintain her red-hot form. From a career that seemed uncertain just months ago to becoming the standout bowler of the tournament, Sam Bates’ inspiring turnaround is a testament to resilience, preparation, and a little bit of guidance from the greats.
(Quotes sourced from cricket.com.au)
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