Full Name

Willie Bates

Born

November 19, 1855, Lascelles Hall, Huddersfield, Yorkshire

Died

January 08, 1900, Lepton, Huddersfield, Yorkshire, (aged 44y 50d)

Batting Style

Right hand Bat

Bowling Style

Right arm Offbreak

The tragic Willie Bates, whose luminous career was cut short by a freak injury in Australia in 1887-88. Bates was bowling his offspinners in the nets when a straight-drive hit him in the face, damaging his eyesight so badly that he never played first-class cricket again. After that, he became depressed and attempted suicide. Bates took 50 wickets in 15 Tests (all of which he played in Australia) at a startling average of 16.42. His finest hour came at Melbourne in 1882-83, when he took 7 for 28 (including the first Test hat-trick by an Englishman) and 7 for 74 as England hammered Australia by an innings. As a batsman he made ten first-class hundreds, and was good enough to open for England. He died in Yorkshire in 1900, aged only 45.
Wisden Cricinfo staff

Billy Bates Career Stats

Batting & Fielding

FormatMatInnsNORunsHSAve100s50s6sCtSt
Tests152626566427.3305490
FC2994952010249144*21.571047-2380

Bowling

FormatMatInnsBallsRunsWktsBBIBBMAveEconSR4w5w10w
Tests15232364821507/2814/10216.421.3847.2241
FC299-61033149798748/21-17.131.4769.8-5210
Billy Bates

Explore Statsguru Analysis

Test

Debut/Last Matches of Billy Bates

Recent Matches of Billy Bates

MatchBatBowlDateGroundFormat
Non-Smokers vs Smokers46/73 & 1/4017-Mar-1887MelbourneFC
England vs Australia8 & 304/2625-Feb-1887SydneyTest # 26
England vs Australia8 & 241/19 & 0/828-Jan-1887SydneyTest # 25
England vs Australia61--21-Mar-1885MelbourneTest # 21
England vs Australia64 & 10/4414-Mar-1885SydneyTest # 20

Photos of Billy Bates

The England cricket team in 1880