"Our batting really let us down," Bates lamented.
"We probably only needed 200 on that pitch . . . ," she added, trailing off.
The White Ferns got the worst of the conditions but should have made more on what was a reasonable pitch.
Instead, the team mustered just 166 runs after slumping to 101 for seven.
Bates rewrote the record books when she plundered 168 runs - the highest ODI innings by a White Fern - in a super six match against Pakistan, but was undone for two in the final.
Otago team-mate Sarah Tsukigawa did not fare any better, also going cheaply.
"I think we were just gutted because we didn't play to our potential. We lost the final, rather than England taking it away from us."
The mood in the dressing room afterwards was fairly sombre.
"There were a few tears but also we were pretty happy with the week. The coach had said before, `No matter what happens you've had a good tournament'."
Bates was the tournament's third-leading run-scorer with 275 runs, at an average of 45.83.
She also chipped in with four wickets.
The 21-year-old was surprised how much media attention the tournament attracted and by the level of support from New Zealand for the team.
"It would have been cool to have won, because hopefully it would have attracted more girls to cricket."
With the summer over, Bates has enrolled in some sport management papers and will continue training with the White Ferns.
A dual international, Bates has put basketball on the back burner for the time being.
"I was thinking of playing in Australia. They have a league that runs from now until August, but with the cricket it has been a bit difficult to do both."
With the women's twenty/20 world championship coming up in June, Bates said it was an exciting time to be involved in the sport and she was committed to cricket for the time being.
