New Zealand Women all-rounder and Adelaide Strikers captain Suzie Bates has been ruled out of the remainder of the ongoing 6th edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL 2020) due to a shoulder injury.
The experienced cricketer is now preparing to leave for New Zealand as she requires surgery on her right shoulder after it was re-injured last Tuesday in the Strikers’ loss against the Melbourne Stars.
The White Ferns star had injured the same shoulder in their Rose Bowl series against Australia in early October.
The Strikers skipper sustained the shoulder injury while fielding during her team’s WBBL match against the Melbourne Stars on November 10 in Sydney, Australia and she is now likely to out of cricket this summer after WBBL 06 after being recommended for the surgery.
New Zealand Cricket’s medical manager Dayle Shackel stated: “We are now working on the logistics around getting her home, through managed isolation and then the medical procedure itself.”
Shackel further stated, “Any time spent in managed isolation won't have an adverse effect on her shoulder; the injury needs time to settle before being operated on.”
While, the Adelaide Strikers Head Coach Luke Williams said of Bates’ injury, “We are all very gutted for Suzie who is not only a great person, but she has been an exceptional leader and player for the Strikers for some time now. For her to remain with the group here in Sydney through the minor rounds is a credit to her character and love for the team, and no doubt she will come back stronger following the recovery process.”
Meanwhile, Bates admitted that it would be tough to spend time on the sidelines, but her goal of playing in the 2022 World Cup at home would keep her motivated through the process of surgery and rehabilitation, saying she is taking one step at one time in the coming months.
Former New Zealand captain stated, “As a cricketer, you want to be fit and playing all the time, so to face a decent stint on the sidelines is tough news. For me, it's about taking this process one step at a time. The first step is successful surgery. Once that's done, I can then turn my mind to rehabilitation and the ultimate goal of getting back on the park as soon as possible.”
The all-rounder further added, “There's also the carrot of playing at home in the Women's Cricket World Cup in 2022 to keep me motivated throughout the process.”
On the other hand, White Ferns head coach Bob Carter said Bates will be truly missed during the upcoming possible fixtures against England and Australia in February and March 2021.
Carter signed off by saying, “We really feel for Suzie, she's a world-class player who brings a wealth of experience to the team. It's always a tough time when a player gets injured. We're now making sure Suzie has plenty of support around her and we all wish her a speedy recovery.”
(With 1News Inputs)
