Bates will enter Wednesday night’s eliminator final against Hobart Hurricanes in Drummoyne as one of the Thunder’s key weapons and leading wicket-taker with the spin of his left-arm finger.
The 32-year-old will also do so with a new two-year contract in her pocket, guaranteeing that the Thunder’s most capped player will be around until 2026. But for most of last year, Bates believed her career It was about to end. .
After a disappointing 2023-24 season that saw Victoria cut her short and take just five WBBL wickets, Bates returned to Newcastle ready to finish her paramedic qualification.
She began training with NSW in pre-season, but even when she was called up to play for the Breakers in September, she still believed this summer could be her last.
“It put life into perspective,” Bates told AAP. “In fact, I decided early on that if this was my last season of cricket, it would be fine. It took a big weight off my shoulders, it didn’t put any pressure on me to try to be someone different or pitch something I’m not.” good at.
“If I didn’t have a contract, it would suck, but I’d still be fine. I think that’s what also left a lot of clarity about where I was going to bowl and led to some good bowling performances.”
Bates’ 2023-24 summer was marred by injury, and he came into last year’s WBBL underperforming after a foot issue. But she is also the first to admit that concerns about her future have affected her cricket.
“There was definitely a mental burnout last year,” Bates said. “What I came up with was just putting a lot of pressure on myself to be someone I wasn’t, to be a cricketer I wasn’t.
“I was able to work with Lisa Sthalekar a little bit in pre-season this year to figure out who I was and what I wanted to bowl. And I just wanted to own that.”
Their form had helped the Thunder take first place in the standings with one round remaining, but they now face the task of needing to win three consecutive games to clinch the title after a loss last time out to the Melbourne Renegades. .
At least they have home advantage in Drummoyne for Wednesday’s knockout against the Hurricanes, with the winner going to Brisbane for a grand final qualifier against the Heat.
“It’s mixed feelings,” Bates said. “We haven’t played our best game yet before we get to the final when it’s a life or death situation.”
Official WBBL tournament team.
Ellyse Perry (Sydney Sixers), Lizelle Lee (Hobart Hurricanes), Beth Mooney (Week, Perth Scorchers), Georgia Voll (Sydney Thunder), Phoebe Litchfield (Sydney Thunder), Hayley Matthews (Melbourne Renegades), Sophie Molineux (captain – Melbourne Renegades), Alana King (Perth Scorchers), Chloe Ainsworth (Perth Scorchers), Shikha Pandey (Brisbane Heat), Samantha Bates (Sydney Thunder) 12th: Georgia Wareham (Melbourne Renegades)
