Patrick Page rediscovers his love for cricket – and the runs flow
Redbacks youngster Patrick Page’s move from Premier Cricket powerhouse Tea Tree Gully to Adelaide in the off-season may have raised eyebrows. But behind the change was a battle much bigger than cricket.
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Every wicket lost felt worse than before and each bad performance lingered longer in the mind of Patrick Page as he struggled to enjoy the game he had grown up spending every available minute obsessing over.
The Redbacks-listed batsman was battling depression and needed a change.
That’s why the 21-year-old Page made the surprise move from SACA Premier Cricket powerhouse Tea Tree Gully to the resurgent Adelaide Buffalos this season.
His competition-leading 894 runs at 59.6 in 2017-18 crashed to 333 at 27.75 last summer.
Page says he wanted to get the fun of the game back and a move to Adelaide appears to be the right one.
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Earlier this month Page blasted an unbeaten 111 from 112 balls in the Buffalos’ thumping win over Northern Districts – his first grade cricket ton in almost two years.
Along with 93 not out in the season opener and 52 against Kensington in round four, he appears to have his touch and love for the game back.
“I was going through a couple of things off-field and I really wasn’t enjoying it as much as I would have hoped,” says Page, who has 289 runs at 96.33 to start the season.
“It was quite a battle for a long time.
“I felt like I needed to refresh my cricket and play somewhere with some blokes I played a lot of state junior stuff with in the Pengelleys (Josh and Ben).
“It was to try and get the fun of the game back. I thought, if I can get around the blokes I’m going to have the most fun with, that would be the best for my cricket.”
Page says he is loving his cricket now at the Buffalos, a move sparked when Adelaide captain Cam Valente and Ben Pengelley approached him in the off-season.
It also helps that Page is no stranger to moving around.
He was born in Wallaroo then moved to Barmera before heading up to the Northern Territory to Katherine and Darwin before settling in Mount Gambier for eight years.
He eventually came across to Adelaide to attend Rostrevor College and has stayed to further his cricket since then.
Page, who is contracted with the Redbacks until the end of the season, still harbours dreams of representing the state and Australia.
But he reiterates that enjoying the game comes ahead of worrying about fighting his way into the SA XI.
As for the Buffalos, Page says new coach, former Australia quick Shaun Tait, has been “unbelievable so far”.
“He’s a lot more relaxed than most coaches and I think that’s how grade cricket should be looked at because blokes aren’t getting paid to play,” he says.
“Being a bit more chilled out in that regard definitely helps.
“As a team we’ve started pretty well, everyone is contributing in their own way and there isn’t really anything you can fault so far.
“It’s obviously going to be hard when Wes (Agar) and Cam (Valente) go out but I think we’ve got enough depth to succeed.
“It’s a pretty young group and a good place to be at the moment.”
Adelaide, which made last season’s two-day grand final but lost to Kensington, has powered to four wins, one loss and top spot on the ladder to start the season.
Page’s return to form has been matched by the outstanding performances of Ben Pengelley (374 runs at 93.5) and Valente (275 and yet to lose his wicket).
On Saturday Pengelley took 7/55 in a decisive bowling display, combining with brother Josh (3/72) to bowl out Glenelg at Glandore Oval.
This Saturday the Buffalos will look to earn a fifth win of the season as they attempt to chase down the Seahorses’ first-innings 297 on day two of the clash.
THIS WEEK’S TOP PERFORMERS
BEST WITH BAT
MEN
Harvey Brennan (Pros) 160
Will Bosisto (Uni) 128 no
Sam Kerber (Uni) 106 no
Corey Kelly (Sturt) 100 no
Ben Wakim (Uni) 94
Josh Hoffmann (Glen) 92
Jacob Dick (Sturt) 76
WOMEN
Tegan McPharlin (ND) 53 no
Angela Treloar (WT) 40 no
Sarah Lowe (Ken) 39
Steph Beazleigh (ND) 38 no
Annie O’Neil (Sturt) 33
BEST WITH BALL
MEN
Ben Pengelley (Adel) 7/55
Cameron Fatchen (Ken) 5/58
Lewis Hatchett (SD) 5/67
Ben Atkinson (TTG) 3/36
Sunam Gautam (SD) 3/57
WOMEN
Neisha Iles (ND) 2/12
Sarah Ferris (Ken) 1/12
Eliza Doddridge (Ken) 1/14
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
HARVEY BRENNAN
(Prospect)
Thrust into the Pirates captaincy following Ben Turley’s shock decision to return to Woodville, Brennan made a superb 160 out of his side’s 266 against Tea Tree Gully.
($100 Cricket Warehouse voucher)
CHAMPION PLAYER OF THE SEASON
Will Bosisto (Uni) 761
Ben Pengelley (Adel) 580
Sam Kerber (Uni) 520
Cam Valente (Adel) 475
Austin Umpherston (PA) 430
Patrick Page (Adel) 409
Jake Lehmann (ET) 389
Michael Cranmer (ET) 384
($2000 Kookaburra kit for men’s player of the season)