Suzie May Be Fern Of Other Code
Tagged in: In The News, Tall Ferns
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Geoff Longley, Christchurch Press
Last month talented Otago sportswoman Suzie Bates was playing for the White Ferns at a mini-world cricket cup in India; at the weekend she was trying out for the Tall Ferns’ Olympic basketball campaign.
The versatile Bates, 19, experienced her first Tall Ferns squad clinic at Christchurch during the weekend, having made a swift sporting switch in style.
Bates only had a few weeks warning to turn her mind from the summer game to winter sport and then was expected to perform at a top level among some of the Tall Ferns players who were reassembling for the first time since their silver medal success at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne last March.
“It wasn’t too bad. I’d put some work in over the past few weeks and had been pretty fit from cricket,” Bates said.
“But they are such different sports. With cricket you can make one mistake and your game can be over while the basketball is full on.”
Bates faces a challenging task to break into the Tall Ferns team which is beginning its preparation this season for the Olympic in Beijing next August.
Coach Mike McHugh said Bates was vying against the likes of Angela Marino, Micaela Cocks and Noni Wharemate for a place in the side.
McHugh said he had been impressed by Bates’ leadership skills and the ability to bring out the best in the players around her.
He decided to include the New Zealand junior (under 21) Tall Fern at the senior trial to assess her progress.
Bates was first selected for the White Ferns last year after scoring a national domestic record innings of 183 not out for Otago in that State League season.
She was in the New Zealand team which finished runner-up to Australia in the final of a tournament that included the top four women’s nations.
If Bates goes further in basketball she could find some conflicts looming with the White Ferns having a trip to England scheduled from July to September this year.
That is when the Tall Ferns will be in the midst of a demanding international schedule.
Bates said White Ferns coach Steve Jenkin was aware of her dual sporting roles and supportive of her situation.
“It’s a matter of seeing what’s on and when and what can be worked around.”
McHugh said he was pleasantly surprised by the standard of preparation of the 14 players who came to Christchurch after a year away.
