A LEAF FROM PAGE’S BOOK

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 247, 9 January 1928, Page 7

A LEAF FROM PAGE’S BOOK

After going cheaply in Canterbury’s first innings, Page rose to the occasion in brilliant fashion in the Southerners’ second knock, contributing a masterly 76 when the runs were most wanted. The best feature of his batting was the way he dealt with slow bowling—the Canterbury skipper made no bones about getting out to it, and smothering the break. In this respect the New Zealand XI. batsman revived the lesson taught by Kortlang last year, one which should not be lost on Auckland batsmen. Page looked to be a bit unlucky to get out just when he was settling down to the task of going after the coveted century. Although he was given out leg before, the ball looked to be suspiciously like Cooper’s leg break, but it was pitched so far up and there was so little time for the break (if there was one) to act, that a batsman must be prepared to take the consequences if his pads, and not the bat, stop the ball. When all is said and done, however, Page played delightful cricket while he was at the wickets, and as far as Cooper is concerned, one is reluctant to take away any of the credit for Page’s dismissal, especially as the Eden trundler was bowling particularly Weil at a time when things were not looking too good for Auckland.