Is Suzie Bates Out of Action for Three Months?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Suzie Bates suffers a quadricep tear.
- She will be out for three months.
- Bates will miss the White Ferns series against Zimbabwe.
- The Super Smash starts on December 26.
- She has a background in women's basketball.
Mumbai, Dec 21 (NationPress) New Zealand women's cricket player Suzie Bates has unfortunately suffered a quadricep tear, which will keep her sidelined for the domestic summer until March. The injury occurred last month while she was fielding during a Hallyburton Johnstone Shield match.
Following assessments, it became clear that the severity of the injury necessitates a three-month rehabilitation period, as reported by New Zealand Cricket in a statement released on Sunday evening.
This recovery timeline indicates that Bates will miss the rest of the domestic summer with Otago as well as the White Ferns home series against Zimbabwe scheduled for February.
Bates expressed her commitment to return for the New Zealand T20I and ODI series against South Africa in March.
“It’s incredibly disappointing to miss this summer; I was eagerly anticipating another season with the Sparks, especially the Super Smash,” Bates stated. “My focus now is to recover and rejoin the White Ferns in March,” she added.
The Super Smash, presented by KFC, kicks off on December 26 at Seddon Park with a match between Northern Brave and Auckland Aces and Hearts.
The 38-year-old Bates previously captained the national women's cricket team and currently holds records for the highest score and batting average in New Zealand Women's Twenty20 cricket. She was honored as the ICC Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2013.
Before her cricket career, Bates represented New Zealand in women's basketball at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and played professionally in the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Australian Women's National Basketball League (WNBL). She transitioned to cricket full-time after the Olympics.
In August 2018, she received a central contract from New Zealand Cricket after tours of Ireland and England. In September 2018, she resigned as captain, making way for Amy Satterthwaite.