William Ederick Bates (5 March 1884 – 17 January 1957) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Yorkshire, Wales and most notably, Glamorgan, over a long career from 1907 to 1931.

Although he developed into a fine left arm orthodox spinner, he hardly bowled before World War I, taking two wickets for Yorkshire.

[4] Bates qualified for Glamorgan over this time, and found a regular spot as a determined opening batsman and useful spinner as cricket resumed after the war.

He reached his peak as a batsman in this year, recording a double hundred against Worcestershire at Kidderminster, and another ton against Nottinghamshire to finish the summer with 1,645 runs to his account.

Financial straits, rather than any loss in form, caused Glamorgan to release him in 1931, but he continued to play for Cheshire in the Minor Counties, before turning his hand to coaching and groundsmanship in Ulster where he died in January 1957, aged 72.