Butcher creates a chapter in history at Headingley

Leeds, August 20: Mark Butcher's innings of 173 not out that guided England to victory in the fourth Ashes Test here Monday will probably live as long in the memory as Ian Botham's heroic unbeaten 149 that set up another famous England win over Australia at Headingley.

The odds were not stacked quite so heavily against Butcher as they were Botham in 1981 but coming in with England eight for one needing to score 311 on the final day was by no means a comfortable position for the Surrey left-hander.

His innings was all the more impressive considering he was only brought back into the Test team because of injuries to Graham Thorpe and Michael Vaughan.

Butcher, out of international cricket for 18 months, had a poor season for county champions Surrey last year and admitted he was not even sure of retaining his place in first class cricket let alone Test matches.

"I was worried about getting back into the Surrey side at one point," said Butcher, who turns 29 on Thursday, the first day of the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval, his home ground.

However, working with his father, former Surrey and England opener Alan, Butcher began to repair his technique and restore his confidence.

"He told me I was a better player than my results had showed. It's a great life and a great career and you would be a fool to throw it away," Butcher explained.

"I spoke to my Dad after this innings and he was a little bit emotional about it. I think he was pleased to see his little boy do well."

Butcher said on Sunday, before his innings began that the key to batting against Australia was a positive attitude and his innings details of one six and 23 fours in 227 balls proved him as good as his word.

"You can't just sit there and let them bowl at you," re-iterated Butcher on Monday.

But such was his dominance by the end it seemed as if nothing the much vaunted Australia attack could do to dislodge him.

"I had periods out there where I couldn't do anything wrong and you are not thinking about your technique," he said.

"The ball comes down and you play it. As any batsman will tell you when you get into that mode that's the most perfect way to bat," an elated Butcher added.

Few innings are perfect but England's first individual century of this Ashes series was just about as good as anyone in the capacity crowd could possibly have expected to see.