The Ashes: Thanks for the memories, Butch
The last time England played Australia at Headingley, Mark Butcher played his career defining 173 not out to win the match in the 4th innings. Now, on the eve of the 4th Test, Butch has announced his retirement from 1st class cricket due to persistent knee injuries.
A final Test batting average of 34.58 does not really do him justice – from that Ashes series onwards he averaged 41 for England and scored runs against the best sides – including two centuries and a 94 in three Tests against Sri Lanka in 2003.
The difference was as much to do with his approach as anything. Up until that point Butcher had a strike rate of just 37, compared with 56 in that 2001 Ashes, a trend which he continued for the most part during the next three years.
Butcher was also not that far from being involved in the 2005 Ashes – he last Test was played on the tour to South Africa the previous winter, but the emergence of Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen spelt the end after 71 Tests and 4288 runs with 8 centuries. He also never appeared in a 50-over international, even though it seemed through that period that England were trying anyone and everyone in that format.
In that pre-2005 era, a single Test win was about all England could ever hope for in an Ashes series, and this one was perhaps the best – against the odds, with one of the best attacking innings you could hope for. Admittedly the series was over at 3-0 (and finished 4-1), but it was still a sweet moment for English cricket fans who had lived on morsels for years. And a 4th innings, 5th day target of 315 seemed more like 700 against McGrath, Gillespie, Lee and Warne. Butcher turned it into a canter.
So thanks for the memories, Butch, and all the best.
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