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27
May 2023
Harrogate cricket club captain aiming for success after relegation survival
From surviving relegation to building a young squad, Will Bates has seen a lot in his short time as Harrogate Cricket Club captain.
The 32-year-old captained two sides prior to joining the St George's Road club.
However, his time at Harrogate has proved pivotal in the two years since taking up the position.
As he sits in the beaming sunshine next to the home pitch, Will reflects on a whirlwind period as Harrogate’s first XI captain.
Formative years in Letchworth
Growing up in Hertfordshire, Will played an array of sports including football, cricket and tennis.
But it was the bat and ball which stuck in the end.
He started playing for Harpenden Cricket Club, before going onto the adults game.
Will started out as both a batsmen and off-spin bowler. However, nowadays, he says he’s more of an occasional bowler and only bowls “if required”.
He describes himself as a “classical batsman”, a contrast to some of his younger teammates who prefer the aggressive technique exemplified by Brendan McCullum’s England side.
Much of his adult career was spent at Letchworth Garden City Cricket Club.
Will describes the seven years at Letchworth as some of his formative years as a cricketer.
Captaining Harrogate
Much of the ethos that Will saw at Letchworth has carried over into his time in North Yorkshire.
He moved to Harrogate five years ago to take up a job as a solicitor in the disputes department at LCF Law.
He took on the captaincy two years ago and grasped the opportunity.
Harrogate Cricket Club, pictured after their Addison Cup win in 2021.
Despite his excitement, Will was thrust straight into a season where Harrogate found themselves in a relegation battle.
The club stayed up on the last day after beating York. Will scored 90 in a captain’s innings to help see Harrogate over the line.
While the stress of avoiding relegation would be enough for some players to put behind them, Will sees it as one of his best games.
Will Bates with his man of the match award after the Addison Cup in 2021.
Among the club's other achievements in his time include winning the Addison Cup in 2021.
Harrogate eased to victory over Wetherby Carr Manor after scoring 131 for 7 and bowling the opposition out for 99.
Will won man of the match after scoring 59 in his innings.
Building a culture
Since surviving relegation, Will has sought to help the club in its ambition to improve.
One of the aspects of that is bringing young players through and giving them opportunities in the first team.
Will points to wicketkeeper Isaac Light as an example of one of the young players that he and the club are trying to bring through.
He also wants to build a culture at Harrogate which is “close nit” and where players feel invested in the side.
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For Will, this is an example of the setup he says he wants to be a part of - as he had at Letchworth.
The decision the club made over paying players exemplifies that, he says.
While Will wants to grow Harrogate beyond what it is, does he have any ambitions?
For Will, he feels he has found his place in Harrogate.
As the club sits third in the league and prepares for another showdown with York this weekend, the team appears to be on an upward trajectory.
Does Will think he’ll still be in Harrogate at the end of his career?
This is the third article in a series of Sporting Spotlight interviews. If you have any local sporting heroes who you think should be featured, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.
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