Mark Butcher Retires

[GIMH]

Breaking news on SSN at the minute so I don't have a link. Very good batsman, will probably always be remembered for his magnificent innings against Australia in 2001, but also he should be remembered for the part he played in the emergence of England as a world-class side in the 03/04 period.

 

[stumpski]

Sad but inevitable given the difficulty he's had making it onto the field in the last couple of seasons. And with Surrey having another dire season (five wins in all competitions to date) he was facing the axe as captain anyway. Presumably Stewart Walters, whose own form has soared as a stand-in skipper, will now be confirmed in that post for the rest of the season.

 

[fredfertang]

A source of much frustration in his early years - all forgotten after Headingley '01 of course, and I'm sure that, though he'd doubtless deny it, that he'll be quite happy to be remembered just for that

 

[sledger]

Wag, always liked him as a player, found his concentration was one of his main problems. Unlucky not to play for England a bit longer than he did really, if he hadn't been injured in that match against South Africa he would have doubtless played on for longer. Always found it baffling why he was never selected for ODIs either. Good player though, have fond memories.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Should've had a better record than he did. Bell-like in the way he used to toss away starts. If he could've ironed out those lapses he might've averaged 40+. Very fluent player.

Never played an ODI either, which for a player of his generation and with his no. of test caps, must be unprecedented. His List A record not that horrible either, really.

 

[popepouri]

Remember him bowling Gary Kirstin around his legs when he was on the South African record of 275. Amazing.

Fine batsmen that could have been better.

 

[stumpski]

Should've had a better record than he did. Bell-like in the way he used to toss away starts. If he could've ironed out those lapses he might've averaged 40+. Very fluent player.

Never played an ODI either, which for a player of his generation and with his no. of test caps, must be unprecedented. His List A record not that horrible either, really.

Tbf though, he was never going to oust Knight or Trescothick, who were his contemporaries, given a couple of years either side, and England also had Stewart, Vaughan and, briefly, Hussain at the top of the order. And while he could score quickly, I think he earned a reputation as a bit of a grafter.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Tbf though, he was never going to oust Knight or Trescothick, who were his contemporaries, given a couple of years either side, and England also had Stewart, Vaughan and, briefly, Hussain at the top of the order. And while he could score quickly, I think he earned a reputation as a bit of a grafter.

Yeah, circumstances did conspire against him rather, but still surprising he didn't get even one cap. He'd have done no worse than Nass or Mick IMHO (damning with faint praise as that may be), although they both maybe had the captaincy to thank for the majority of their ODI caps.

We do have (or did have) a tendancy tho to treat the limited overs game as a dress-rehersal for the "real thing", so it's unusual we didn't at least run an eye over Butch in the pyjamas first up.

 

[stumpski]

Yeah that is odd, isn't it - my recollection was that he had a very good 'A' tour in 1996-97, and then got almost 'fast-tracked' into the Test side on the strength of it, before he'd had time to play in an ODI (apart from the three at the start of that season, I suppose). Surprising he didn't get a few ODI caps on tour though as this was just before we had separate squads for each form of the game.

 

[superkingdave]

Never liked him, lucky to get as many chances as he did and managed to be alright for the last 2/3 years he played but before that he was dreadful particularly when opening. Still he had a decent career n all.

 

[Langeveldt]

Damn, bad news but was always going to happen.. Bit of a legendary personality as well.. These last few weeks have seen a crop of my favourite old skool players retire.. Gun person

 

[Richard]

Always loved Mark Butcher TBH, but he never came close to justifying his talent or the faith placed in it by a succession of managements 1997-1999/2000, except for one brief spell in mid-1998 when he was absolutely brilliant, and when I first came to have a strong like for his batting.

Played superbly for a year or so after coming back in 2001 against Australia, with that Headingley knock being the once-in-a-lifetime knock of his own, but mostly disappointed again after that, though not to anywhere near such a diabolical degree.

This injury-plagued recent couple of seasons seems to be a real shame because when he's got on the park he's been better than ever, but it makes sense to retire now rather than continuing to fight a losing battle. So Butcher and Caddick within a few weeks, and Gough and White last season. The last vestiges of the first England side I really got to grips with (Butcher, Atherton, Hussain, Stewart, Thorpe, Ramprakash, White, Cork, Croft, Caddick, Gough - it never played together BTW, though there were several near-misses) is almost all gone now. The wheel turns...

 

[_Ed_]

One of my favourite England players.

 

[Goughy]

Never liked him, lucky to get as many chances as he did and managed to be alright for the last 2/3 years he played but before that he was dreadful particularly when opening. Still he had a decent career n all.

Yeah, he was servicable. Was never much more than that, never expected more of him either.

Pretty much had a career one would expect.

 

[Richard]

You seriously expected him to average 25 after his first 26 Tests, as he did?

Thought he was far better than that personally. Plenty of players have an iffy start, as he did in 1997, but I was honestly expecting him to kick-on into a good Test opener after his breakthrough in mid-1998. Instead he went 23 Test innings' without a half-century.

Crazy that he wasn't dropped sooner in that half-century-less run than he was, too. Should've probably not even started the 1999 summer, never mind played in South Africa that winter.

No doubts he was very fortunate to be recalled in 2001, going-on 29 and on the back of a moderate start to the season. But he was dynamite for a year after that, before going on to flatter to deceive for the most part for another 2 years.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Worst man ever to play more than 70 Tests for England as a batsman.

 

[Richard]

Worst man or worst batsman? Worst batsman for sure, but he's a jolly good sort and I'd imagine you'd be able to find some rank ****, or close to, who played 70+ Tests for England somewhere.

 

[stumpski]

Only Jon Batty and Alex Tudor (just) remain from Surrey's last CC-winning side of 2000 (Ramps joined the following season). Of course he did captain England in one Test didn't he, against NZ in 1999, so I suppose he's qualified for a spot in the Sky commentary box. If there's any room left that is.

 

[sledger]

Alex Tudor, wag, one of my favourite players.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Alex Tudor, wag, one of my favourite players.

Probably one for the "cricketers that had potential" thread if he's not already had a nod. Martyr to injuries both real and imaginary, sadly.