William Bates was born at Lascelles Hall, near Huddersfield, on 19th November, 1855. He first played for his county in 1877; but it was in 1878 that he proved himself to be a first-class bat and bowler. For years Peate and he ran a close race for first place in the Yorkshire bowling averages, and there can be very little doubt the pair did much to give that county the high position which it held for some years. Bates bowled slow medium- pace, and on his day was very successful. He got a fair amount of break from the off, and made the ball come rather quickly off the pitch.
But he was even more successful with the bat than the ball. Some of his batting performances were really brilliant, and on a good fast wicket he scored at a rate which few could surpass. He hit very hard all round, and one or two of his performances against time will stand out conspicuously. His big scores were all made in a free, dashing style, and if he could have fielded with more certainty he might have been classed as the best all-round player of his time. He represented the Players in 1880, and rarely missed doing so until 1886. He was also a member of Daft's team which visited Canada in 1879; and he was one of the sixth English team which went to Australia in 1881-82: for the latter he came out first in the batting averages and fourth in the bowling. Afterwards he accompanied most of the English teams to Australia, doing well with both bat and ball. Out there he did a most brilliant performance for the Hon. Ivo Bligh's team against Murdoch's Australian Eleven, on the 19th of January, 1883. He scored fifty-five runs in the only innings of Mr. Bligh's team, and bowled:
First innings: 26 overs, 14 maidens, 28 runs for 7 wickets; three of the wickets were with successive balls. Second innings: 33 overs, 14 maidens, 74 runs, 6 wickets.
