The 33-year-old right-hander became the first White Ferns player to reach 250 international games.
Sadly, she was not able to celebrate the occasion with a win.
England clinched a four-wicket win to take victory in the T20 series 2-1.
The milestone came as a surprise to Bates. She was alerted to the achievement in the lead up to the series decider.
‘‘To play one game for my country was a dream come true,’’ Bates said.
‘‘To think that now I have represented the White Ferns... 250 times is hard to believe.’’
Bates has her name of the top of an awful lot of lists. Too many to mention.
But perhaps the most salient is she has scored more international runs for New Zealand than any other player. In total she has notched 7882 across both ODIs and T20s and also picked up 125 international wickets as well.
‘‘Milestones like this make you sit back and reflect on the people who have been there to support you through thick and thin and allow you to do your thing on the park.
‘‘My team-mates, coaches, managers, family and friends have all kept a smile on my face through the years and have contributed to the love I have for this sport and for this team. I can’t thank them enough.’’
The White Ferns posted a very defendable tally of 144 for four.
Bates and Sophie Devine put on 45 for the first wicket to set up a good platform.
Bates was bowled for 34 and Devine made 35 before she was bowled trying to whip the ball leg side.
Brooke Halliday made an undefeated 25 from 16 deliveries.
The home side slumped to 42 for three but a knock of 42 from captain Heather Knight helped steer the side to victory.
Danni Wyatt (35) and Amy Jones (32) played valuable supporting roles.
Spinner Leigh Kasperek was the pick of the White Ferns bowlers. She took three for 25.
Devine was happy with her side’s efforts with the ball despite England snatching victory in the final over.
‘‘It’s about hanging tough and staying with the game and not letting it go completely away from us,’’ she said.
‘‘So, really pleased with the way we fought back, our bowlers and in the field was great.
‘‘We came over here to win this series, just like we will do with the one-day series as well. We’re going to push them hard and we know they are a quality side and we know we have to be at out best.
‘‘Unfortunately, today we were just short.’’
The two sides will now play a five-game ODI series which gets under way late next week.
■The fifth test between England and India at Old Trafford was cancelled barely two hours before its scheduled start yesterday after the tourists failed to field a side following a Covid-19 case in their camp, Reuters reported.
India was 2-1 up in the series heading into the final test.
The England and Wales Cricket Board initially said in the statement that India had forfeited the match but later retracted that.
The Indian team did not reveal details of the circumstances that led to its failure to field a side.
