Leeds, August 20: Mark Butcher scored a superb unbeaten 173 to hand England a memorable six wicket victory on the final day of the fourth Ashes Test against Australia here at Headingley on Monday.

Butcher hit the winning runs, a three off Shane Warne to round off an innings in which he faced 227 balls hitting one six and 23 fours in his five and a quarter hour long innings.

It was England's first victory of this series and the Surrey left-hander' highest Test score and was the first score of over 150 by an England batsman since John Crawley in 1998.

England's total, their second highest fourth innings score to win and the second largest total Australia have ever conceded to lose, came in 73.2 overs.

It gave Australia a rare dose of defeat at the hands of England having won 19 of the last 21 Ashes Tests and dashed their hopes of taking a 4-0 series lead to this Thursday's fifth and final Test at the Oval.

Butcher, who failed to make the grade as an England opener but has been a different player since dropping down the order, was typically humble about his innings.

"It was fantastic but it was pretty hairy for the first 15 overs," he admitted.

"I got a bit of luck but the ball got bigger as the innings went on.

"I was so nervous at lunch that I didn't eat I just had a cup of coffee and a couple of cigarettes," he added.

England skipper Nasser Hussain, who made 55 before being controversially being given out, paid generous tribute to Butcher.

"As Duncan (Fletcher the England coach) said to me if you don't dream you don't believe.

"People will remember this innings for a very long time to come," he added.

But Australia deserved credit for a sporting declaration on Sunday that left England needing 315 for victory.

They continued to attack and never once tried to increase the likelihood of a draw by setting defensive fields which drew praise from Hussain.

"This was a special days' cricket," he said.

"Australia are playing cricket the right way.

"I commend them and their captain (Adam Gilchrist)," he added.

Gilchrist, who was standing in for the injured Steve Waugh, said he had wanted to at least set England a realistic target though he would have preferred to have had more overs at them on Sunday evening.

"We were confident but not overly so at the start of the day," he said.

"Part of captaincy is to balance it all up but I wanted to try and dangle a carrot in front of them.

"It was an outstanding innings by Mark Butcher.

"It's really disappointing but not overly so," he added.

England started the final session on 222 for three, needing another 93 to reach their victory target of 315 in a minimum of 36 overs at an average of 2.58 runs per over.

Butcher was 117 not out and Surrey colleague Ramprakash seven not out.

Australia were so desperate for a wicket that Gilchrist called upon Mark Waugh's part time off-spin.

Waugh's bowling made no difference but he did catch Ramprakash on 32 at first slip off Shane Warne, although replays suggested he hadn't caught it on the full.

However, Butcher who said England needed two big stands if they were to draw this match, let alone win it, received good support from Ramprakash in a fourth wicket partnership of 75.

England's victory hopes received a blow shortly before tea when Hussain, who had shared a third wicket stand of of 181 in 269 balls with Butcher, was controversially given out caught behind off Jason Gillespie by Indian umpire Venkat for 55.

Hussain was clearly unhappy with the decision and television replays showed the ball had come off his backside.

Butcher, 55 not out at lunch went to his third Test century with a succession of fine shots.

In the eighth over after the break, he drove the express pace of Brett Lee through cover for four and clipped him off his legs for another boundary.

His one major moment of worry came when on 97 he went for a ludicrous single off Warne and was rightly sent back by Hussain.

Fortunately, Glenn McGrath's throw from mid-on was a wild one, and Butcher, who ran himself out for 47 in the first innings, got home.

But a clipped three off leg-spinner Warne gave Butcher, 29 on Thursday, an early birthday present.

The Surrey left-hander, recalled to the England side for the first Test at Edgbaston, had faced 142 balls including 13 fours in a minute over three hours.

Meanwhile at the other end Hussain, playing his first Test since Gillespie broke his finger at Edgbaston, was providing solid support.

His fifty came courtesy off an expertly steered four down to the vacant third man area, a gap in the field that Gilchrist took his time to fill.

Hussain's runs had come off just 99 balls including one six and six fours.

England started the day on four without loss and when they were 33 for two few could have predicted what was to follow.