#Satterthwaite and #Bates enjoy dream summer of runs... #Amy_Satterthwaite and #Suzie_Bates are great mates, but they love nothing more than getting one up on each other. The White Ferns, who have both enjoyed dream summers with the bat for the Canterbury Magicians and Otago Sparks respectively, have been watching each other’s results this season with interest. In the one-day competition, Satterthwaite has notched up a record 770 runs in the 2014/15 season (with the final to come) which betters Bates 705 in the 2012/13 season. Bates finished the one-day season with 668 runs this year which is the fifth all-time after her own 680 and Natalie Dodds (Northern Districts) 692 in the 2012/2013 season. Satterthwaite, who has played 62 ODIs for New Zealand at an average of 27.46, said it is a huge honour to claim the record of the leading scorer in the domestic competition. “Yeah it does mean a lot,” said the 28-year-old. “The last couple of seasons I have seen the likes of Nat Dodd and Suzie Bates score a lot of runs and be at the top of that leaderboard and I remember thinking how cool it would be to have my name up there at the end of the season. To achieve that goal is something else and I am really proud of myself.” Satterthwaite will have the chance to add to that total when the Magicians play the Auckland Hearts on January 25 in the 50-over at Rangiora. The left-handed batter and right arm bowler isn’t sure what is behind her current vein of form “That’s a good question,” she said. “I guess I have just been relaxing a bit more and really focusing on enjoying what I am doing. The past few years I have gone back to club level and I have batted down the order a bit and not taken it too seriously, but this year I wanted to spend a bit of time out in the middle and that has really paid off as well. I had plenty of time at the crease and I have been fortunate to make quite a few runs.” Meanwhile, Bates has been pleased with her own form. She has been watching Satterthwaite’s progress especially near the end of the season when it got pretty close. “I am sure that Amy was watching as well,” said the 27-year-old from Dunedin with a laugh. “It is always nice to finish the season near the top of the run scorers. I was rapt to see the runs that Amy was scoring because I said many years ago that she was one of the players to watch and she is fulfilling her potential. Im looking forward to seeing her carry on that form against England.” Bates, who spent the off season in Australia to prepare for a big season, is a prolific scorer in the domestic completion and said its important for the White Ferns to set the standard. “I don’t really see it as pressure to be honest [to lead the way],” she said. “It is more of a challenge. I expect all of White Ferns to be top of the runs scored and the wickets taken. That expectation on our performance should drive us and it does for me. That challenge gets the best out of me.” It has certainly got the best out of Satterthwaite this season who is focused on translating this form onto the international stage against England in Mount Maunganui in February. “Its one thing to do it at domestic level for the Magicians and Im happy Ive been able to play well here, but to do it at international level and to play this well for the national side would be awesome. That is the next big goal for me; to translate this form for the White Ferns.” Satterthwaite and Bates have been dominant mainly in the one-day competition. In the Women’s T20, the leading scorers to date are Elizabeth Perry (213), Katie Martin (205), Bates (203) and Satterthwaite (202). Martin or Bates could go to the top after the final on Saturday at University Oval in Dunedin. This year’s totals are way off the record of 413 which Bates set in 2010/11, this is because for a few seasons there were two rounds of T20 and just one round of 50-over games. Now it is the other way around. Whatever way you look at it the rivalry between Satterthwaite and Bates is a good thing for the White Ferns. “This is a massive series for us,” said Bates. “Last year, Amy and I had some great partnerships and it made it feel like the batting was easy, so I am looking forward to batting with her again and hopefully we can have some success.” Bates said she couldn’t remember a time where there has been so much cricket in the media. “It is awesome and it is going to be an exciting weekend with the two BLACKCAPS one dayers and the Women’s T20 Final [Live on Sky], it is going to be a great weekend for our sport and for Dunedin cricket fans.”
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 06:08:28 +0000
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