At Melbourne, Park had been one of the youngsters sent to the "special net" for Armstrong's attention. Armstrong had been impressed, Park awestruck, later crediting Armstrong with "most of my cricket brains". They were an odd sight in partnership, like a planet and its satellite, but their simpatico was deep. During the match against South Australia, for example, Park joined his captain with an hour left of the second day and shared a thunderous stand. Over lunch on the third day, with Park 226 and himself 101, Armstrong recalled his own eight-year-old record score for Victoria: "Parky, you haven't far to go to beat my 250. I promise to do my best to stop there while you make them." Park did not make it, but always remembered the gesture.