The Cricket Career Suzie Bates Gave Everything For

Suzie Bates is one of the greatest athletes New Zealand has ever produced: A White Ferns legend, Olympian, Commonwealth Games medalist, double international and all-round bloody impressive human.

This podcast originally came out in 2023; I am rereleasing it because Suzie is about to retire from the game she has given everything to. This truly is the end of an era- 20 years as a White Fern which is over half her life. She captained the White Ferns for almost seven years. The first woman to play 350 internationals, and the first woman to score 25,000 career runs across international and domestic cricket.

This chat covers everything: growing up in Dunedin, playing cricket with boys, making her Otago debut at 15, becoming a New Zealand basketball and cricket rep as a teenager, the rise of women’s cricket, form slumps, mental health, retirement and what comes next.

And then there are the stories: partying with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade at the Beijing Olympics (with David Beckham casually being there). Hanging out backstage with the Rolling Stones while Mick Jagger was watching cricket with one shoe on and much more!

Suzie Bates has earned GOAT status for her cricket, and she deserves it.

She is humble, funny and honest. A truly great Kiwi.

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Massive thanks to my long‑term podcast sponsor, Generate.

Like a lot of Kiwis, I spent years saying, “I’ll look at my KiwiSaver account later.” Turns out later comes around faster than you think, and the decisions you make now could be the difference between counting every dollar in retirement or having the freedom to take that trip you've always talked about.

I switched my KiwiSaver account to Generate after they came on board, and honestly, I should’ve done it sooner.

They’re an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with strong long‑term performance. You can check out their latest returns online, or book a no‑obligation chat with one of their friendly advisers at https://www.generatewealth.co.nz/

No pressure, no judgement — they’re just there to help wherever you’re at in your investing journey.

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. You can view their Product Disclosure Statement and Financial Advice Provider information at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/disclosures.

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser. This is general information only, and I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

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0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - Welcome and catching up in London 3:29 - The Hundred cricket tournament 8:01 - Financial rewards in modern women's cricket 10:41 - The reality of IPL selection and form slumps 16:12 - Managing the highs and lows of cricket 24:16 - Growing up playing cricket in Dunedin 27:06 - Transitioning between cricket and basketball 31:14 - Developing a growth mindset 34:30 - Mental health, psychology, and daily habits 41:42 - Reflecting on the Beijing Olympics 50:42 - Career highlights and staying humble 54:18 - Life in Dunedin vs. the professional athlete lifestyle 56:22 - Celebrity encounters: Rolling Stones and more 1:00:03 - Mentors and finding support in the game 1:01:49 - Amy Satterthwaite and team selections 1:04:06 - Deciding when to retire 1:06:55 - The rise of women’s sport 1:09:51 - Mental health journey and personal resilience 1:12:11 - Dealing with an MS diagnosis 1:17:41 - The importance of fitness and motivation 1:18:43 - Personal life, relationships, and the future 1:23:12 - Life after cricket: Coaching and commentary 1:27:01 - Settling down and final reflections