White Ferns superstar Suzie Bates joins The Offspin to discuss the development of the women’s game, pay inequality, and provide her expert tips for the Black Caps on English playing conditions.
Suzie Bates is one of the greatest cricketers New Zealand has ever produced. She’s scored more than 4300 runs in 121 ODIs at an average of 42.64, including ten centuries. In 111 T20Is she’s scored 3100 runs. But she’s never played a test match. In fact, the New Zealand women’s team hasn’t played a test since 2004. And it’s only recently that cricket has become a viable career for this immensely talented player.
Four years ago New Zealand women’s cricketers could barely survive as professional sportspeople. In 2016 the 15 top female players got a “big pay rise”, but still earn a fraction of their male counterparts. Bates is now able to travel the world as a professional cricketer, playing in T20 leagues in Australia, England and India. Yet many of her White Ferns teammates still have day jobs, working in the police force, and as teachers.
Bates spoke to The Offspin about her hopes for the growth of the women’s game in New Zealand, her desire to play test cricket, and what it’s like to play in front of a sell out crowd in India.
She also gifted us a special White Ferns prize pack (including a White Ferns T20I playing shirt) to give away, and we’ve thrown in some Coffee Supreme too – listen to the podcast to find out how to win, and email your entry to simonday@thespinoff.co.nz.
Download this episode (right click and save), listen on the player below, subscribe on iTunes or via Spotify.
For the next six weeks, join hosts Simon Day, Alex Braae and a rotating squad of sloggers, change bowlers and outfielders on The Offspin after each of the New Zealand team’s games. With the Black Caps playing all their games at wildly inconvenient overnight times, Simon and Alex will be swapping sleep for cricket, then rolling into the studio to drink Coffee Supreme (proud sponsors of The Offspin) and offer their expert analysis of the World Cup.
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Listen to Suzie Bates on The Offspin, The Spinoff’s World Cup podcast. Download this episode (right click and save), subscribe on iTunes or the podcast service of your choice, or listen via Spotify.
This content was created in paid partnership with Coffee Supreme. Learn more about our partnerships here.