Editing Mark Butcher

{{Short description|English cricketer (born 1972)}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Mark Butcher
| image = Cricket, Oval, 26th April 2007 006 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Butcher at [[the Oval]] in 2007
| country = England
| fullname = Mark Alan Butcher
| nickname = Butch, Baz
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1972|8|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Croydon]], London, England
| heightft = 5
| heightinch = 11
| heightm = 
| batting = Left-handed
| bowling = Right-arm [[Fast bowling|medium]]
| role = [[Batting order (cricket)#Opener|Opening batsman]]
| family = [[Alan Butcher]] (father),<br />[[Gary Butcher]] (brother)
| international = true
| testdebutdate = 5 June
| testdebutyear = 1997
| testdebutagainst = Australia
| testcap = 584
| lasttestdate = 30 December
| lasttestyear = 2004
| lasttestagainst = South Africa
| club1 = [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]]
| year1 = 1992–2009
| columns = 4
| column1 = [[Test cricket|Test]]
| matches1 = 71
| runs1 = 4,288
| bat avg1 = 34.58
| 100s/50s1 = 8/23
| top score1 = 173[[not out|*]]
| deliveries1 = 901
| wickets1 = 15
| bowl avg1 = 36.06
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 4/42
| catches/stumpings1 = 61/–
| column2 = [[First-class cricket|FC]]
| matches2 = 280
| runs2 = 17,870
| bat avg2 = 40.70
| 100s/50s2 = 38/95
| top score2 = 259
| deliveries2 = 7,703
| wickets2 = 125
| bowl avg2 = 33.89
| fivefor2 = 1
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 5/86
| catches/stumpings2 = 263/–
| column3 = [[List A cricket|LA]]
| matches3 = 191
| runs3 = 4,460
| bat avg3 = 31.85
| 100s/50s3 = 2/28
| top score3 = 139
| deliveries3 = 2,527
| wickets3 = 49
| bowl avg3 = 45.10
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 3/23
| catches/stumpings3 = 63/–
| column4 = [[Twenty20|T20]]
| matches4 = 13
| runs4 = 210
| bat avg4 = 17.50
| 100s/50s4 = –/2
| top score4 = 60
| deliveries4 = –
| wickets4 = –
| bowl avg4 = –
| fivefor4 = –
| tenfor4 = –
| best bowling4 = –
| catches/stumpings4 = 4/–
| date = 6 August
| year = 2009
| source = http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/player/9327.html Cricinfo
}}
'''Mark Alan Butcher''' (born 23 August 1972) is an English cricket commentator and former English [[Test cricket]]er, who played [[county cricket]] for [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] from 1992 until his retirement in 2009. He was a left-handed [[batsman]], and occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler who was also capable of bowling off spin.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Updated:December 3 |first1=Shiamak Unwalla{{!}} |last2=Ist |first2=2016 1:36 Pm |date=2015-08-23 |title=Mark Butcher: 10 interesting things to know about the former England cricketer |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/criclife/mark-butcher-10-interesting-things-to-know-about-the-former-england-cricketer-507368 |access-date=2022-08-24 |website=Cricket Country |language=en}}</ref>

== Biography ==
He went to [[Cumnor]] House School in Purley from the age of five to thirteen before moving to Trinity School in Croydon.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cumnor's core values gave Mark Butcher belief {{!}} The Cricketer |url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/schools/cumnors_core_values_gave_mark_butcher_belief.html |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=www.thecricketer.com |language=en}}</ref> He first played for his school's U-11 side at the age of seven.<ref>{{Cite web |title=My School Sport: Mark Butcher (19 Aug 1998) |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/my-school-sport-mark-butcher-19-aug-1998-74479 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> He was also picked up by the Surrey U-11 side and also was selected in Surrey's U-19 team.

He married [[Alec Stewart]]'s sister Judy but the marriage did not last.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title='It would've been nice to have won an Ashes, having lost four' |url=https://www.thecricketmonthly.com/story/803803/-it-would-ve-been-nice-to-have-won-an-ashes--having-lost-four |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Cricinfo |language=en}}</ref> He dealt with various personal issues especially in 2000 following the break up of his marriage and his axing from the England side at the end of 2000. He also had issues with alcohol and depression.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Butcher reveals torment of cricket exit |url=https://www.cricket.com.au/news/mark-butcher-interview-all-out-cricket-alcohol-depression-drink-driving-trescothick-trott-england/2017-05-18 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=cricket.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

==Cricket career==
Butcher played all his [[county cricket]] for Surrey, for whom he made his [[first-class cricket|first-class]] debut in 1992.<ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4225/f_Batting_by_Team.html Batting by Team]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref><ref name="Season">[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4225/f_Batting_by_Season.html Batting by season]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref> He made his [[Test cricket|Test match]] debut in the first Test of the 1997 [[Ashes series]] at [[Edgbaston Cricket Ground|Edgbaston]].<ref name="Tests">[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4225/Test_Matches.html Test matches]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref> He opened the batting on his debut test but did not produce the kind of scores that he would have liked but England managed to win that match by nine wickets albeit off a double century from [[Nasser Hussain]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs England 1st Test 1997 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-and-scotland-1997-61346/england-vs-australia-1st-test-63754/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> His last Test match was in December 2004,<ref name="Tests"/> when he had played 71 Tests, making eight [[Century (cricket)|centuries]] and averaging over 34.<ref name="cric">[http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/9327.html Mark Butcher]. ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref>

Butcher [[English cricket captains|captained England]] once, in a draw with [[New Zealand cricket team|New Zealand]] in 1999 when [[Nasser Hussain]] was injured.<ref name="cric"/> He never appeared in a [[one-day cricket|One Day International]] (ODI). Of players who have started in international cricket since the first ODI in 1970–71, Butcher is the "runaway leader" in terms of playing the most Test matches without appearing in an ODI.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What are the best figures by a captain in ODIs and T20Is? |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ask-steven-what-are-the-best-figures-by-a-captain-in-odis-and-t20is-1304208 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref><ref name = "record">{{cite news|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/134118.html|title=Most Tests without an ODI, and Zaheer's road|first=Steven|last=Lynch|work=Cricinfo|publisher=ESPN|date=5 April 2004|access-date=8 April 2012}}</ref> Butcher played in 71 Tests, but as of April 2004 no other player in the ODI era had played in more than 30 Tests without playing in an ODI.<ref name = "record"/>

Butcher enjoyed a reasonably good start to his Test career, hitting two half-centuries in five matches against a powerful Australian side.<ref name="Season"/> He then struggled (along with the rest of the England side) against the [[West Indies]] that winter, averaging just 15.<ref name="Season"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilde |first=Simon |title=Mark Butcher: 'Another tour that left us thinking: Are we ever going to be able to beat these guys?' |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/mark-butcher-another-tour-that-left-us-thinking-are-we-ever-going-to-be-able-to-beat-these-guys-3xkztsz6h |access-date=2022-08-23 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> However, in the next series he did very well, scoring two fifties and a century against South Africa.<ref name="Season"/> Though he followed that with another impressive hundred against Australia in the first [[The Ashes|Ashes]] Test that winter, he then failed for the rest of that series.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1st Ashes Test: Butcher conquers his fear of failure (23 November 1998) |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/1st-ashes-test-butcher-conquers-his-fear-of-failure-23-november-1998-76611 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> A poor run of form followed, as he failed to score a half-century in twelve consecutive matches.<ref name="Season"/> Despite being appointed stand-in captain for one Test against New Zealand, he was dropped from the side in the winter of 2000.<ref name="cric"/> He subsequently lost his place in the Test side to [[Marcus Trescothick]].

Butcher's domestic form then suffered a dramatic decline, and he found himself languishing in the Surrey second eleven at the start of the 2001 English domestic season.<ref name=":0" /><ref>[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/4/4225/Second_Eleven_Championship_Matches.html Second Eleven Championship Matches]. Cricketarchive.com. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref>  However, hard work and coaching from his father, [[Alan Butcher|Alan]], himself a former Surrey and England player, sorted out his form.<ref name="cric"/> He was drafted into the Test side to play the Australians and strong showings throughout that series culminated in a superb innings of 173 not out at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]], as England successfully chased 315 to win (although the series was by then lost).<ref name="Season"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Full Scorecard of Australia vs England 4th Test 2001 - Score Report {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/australia-tour-of-england-and-ireland-2001-61345/england-vs-australia-4th-test-63939/full-scorecard |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wilde |first=Simon |title=Mark Butcher's Headingley heroics? Nasser Hussain's night heist? This England chase was even better |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/mark-butchers-headingley-heroics-nasser-hussains-night-heist-this-england-chase-was-even-better-8zjdbncc2 |access-date=2022-08-23 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Wigmore |first=Tim |date=2021-08-20 |title=The forgotten Ashes miracle: When Mark Butcher flayed the greatest bowling attack in the world |language=en-GB |work=The Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2021/08/20/forgotten-ashes-miracle-mark-butcher-flayed-greatest-bowling/ |access-date=2022-08-23 |issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Top Ashes moments: Mark Butcher's big Headingley ton and Richie Benaud's tactical switch |url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/11769661/top-ashes-moments-mark-butchers-big-headingley-ton-and-richie-benauds-tactical-switch |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref>

After that series, Butcher continued to prosper until a run of injuries saw him lose his place. Consistent performances had made him an essential component of the England batting line-up, to be relied upon in a crisis. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the series in the West Indies in 2003–04,<ref>{{Cite web |title=One series win in 50 years: How the Caribbean remains England's final frontier |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/england-in-west-indies-2022-one-series-win-in-50-years-how-the-caribbean-remains-england-s-final-frontier-1303386 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref> when he always batted well irrespective of the sometimes poor showing by various partners at the other end, and he passed fifty in four out of seven innings.<ref name="Season"/> He was the top runscorer for England in England's emphatic series win in Caribbean by smacking 296 runs in four matches. A series of serious injuries kept Butcher out of the game for most of 2005,<ref name="cric"/> and his last Test was the first Test in South Africa in December 2004.<ref name="Season"/> The series of injury setbacks also subsequently put a dramatic end to his run of 42 successive test match appearances for England. During his illustrious yet volatile test career, he was regarded as one of the worst overnight resumers in test cricket as he often gets out quickly without adding much runs to his overnight score as he averages just 26.93 in 31 innings when it comes to starting the proceedings from overnight scores.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who are the worst and best overnight 'resumers' in Test cricket? |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/ask-steven-who-are-the-worst-and-best-overnight-resumers-in-test-cricket-1293820 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=ESPNcricinfo}}</ref>

Thereafter, he struggled to recover properly from numerous injury set-backs, and although he retained the official captaincy of Surrey his appearances for the team became sporadic. In August 2009, Butcher announced his retirement from all first-class cricket after a troubling knee injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cricinfo.com/countycricket2009/content/story/418254.html|title=Knee injuries force Butcher to retire|date=9 August 2009|publisher=CricInfo|access-date=6 August 2009}}</ref>

Since his retirement as a player, he has commentated on cricket for [[Sky Sports]] and has appeared as an expert summariser on [[Test Match Special]], for [[Star Sports (Indian TV network)|Star Sports]] and [[ESPN Cricinfo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2021/02/13/mark-butchers-analysis-stinker-decision-third-umpire-puts-indias/amp/|title=Mark Butcher's analysis of 'a stinker' of a decision by third umpire puts India's host commentators to shame}}</ref> He appeared in Sky Sports documentary titled ''You Guys Are History'' where he explores and examines why there is a massive decline in black cricketers in England since the turn of the century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Why has the number of Black cricketers in England dropped? |url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/12399822/why-has-the-number-of-black-cricketers-in-england-dropped |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=You Guys Are History: Phillip DeFreitas, Monte Lynch and more open up on racism they faced |url=https://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12123/12398353/you-guys-are-history-phillip-defreitas-monte-lynch-and-more-open-up-on-racism-they-faced |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}}</ref>

He was awarded Honorary Life Membership of [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC) in January 2010.<ref>[http://www.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/446236.html "Ashes adversaries awarded MCC life membership"] Retrieved 2 September 2010.</ref>

===Test centuries===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan=6|Mark Butcher's Test centuries
|-
!No || Runs || Against || City/Country || Venue || Year
|-
| 1 || 116 || {{cr|RSA}} || [[Leeds]], England || Headingley || 1998
|-
| 2 || 116 || {{cr|AUS}} || [[Brisbane]], Australia || Brisbane Cricket Ground || 1998
|-
| 3 || 173[[not out|*]] || {{cr|AUS}} || [[Leeds]], England || Headingley || 2001
|-
| 4 || 105 || {{cr|SRI}} || London, England || Lord's || 2002
|-
| 5 || 123 || {{cr|SRI}} || [[Manchester]], England || Old Trafford || 2002
|-
| 6 || 124 || {{cr|AUS}} || Sydney, Australia || Sydney Cricket Ground || 2003
|-
| 7 || 137 || {{cr|ZIM}} || London, England || Lord's || 2003
|-
| 8 || 106 || {{cr|RSA}} || [[Nottingham]], England || Trent Bridge || 2003
|}

==Music career==

Butcher is also a guitar player and singer – he sang a ballad at [[Surrey County Cricket Club|Surrey]] and England teammate [[Ben Hollioake]]'s funeral.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/2920343.stm | work=BBC News | title=Butcher's tribute to unsung hero | date=6 April 2003 | access-date=5 April 2010 | first=Scott | last=Heinrich}}</ref> Previously, in 2001, he appeared on the '[[Jamie Theakston]] Cricket Show' on [[BBC Radio 5 Live]], where he played a live [[acoustic music|acoustic]] version of "(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" by [[The Stranglers]] with the former Stranglers' [[Lead vocalist#Frontperson|frontman]] [[Hugh Cornwell]]. In early 2008, Butcher started recording his debut album, ''Songs from the Sun House''.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Updated:July 3 |first1=Jaideep Vaidya{{!}} |last2=Ist |first2=2014 11:40 Pm |date=2013-08-23 |title=Mark Butcher: A talented cricketer-turned-musician |url=https://www.cricketcountry.com/articles/mark-butcher-a-talented-cricketer-turned-musician-30236 |access-date=2022-08-23 |website=Cricket Country |language=en}}</ref> Released in 2010, it includes "You're Never Gone", the song he wrote in tribute to Hollioake.<ref name="album">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080512165516/http://www.surreycricket.com/news/butcher-tunes-in-ahead-of-season%2C5862%2CNS.html Butcher in the recording studio]. ''Surrey Cricket'' (18 January 2008).</ref><ref>[https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003QK6BOU ''Songs from the Sun House'']. amazon.co.uk</ref>

Mark Butcher partnered [[Sarah Brightman]] on the second series of ''[[Just the Two of Us (TV series)|Just the Two of Us]]'' aired on [[BBC One]] in January 2007; they came third overall.<ref name="album" />

==Personal life==

He was born to a [[Jamaica]]n mother and an English father.<ref>[http://www.kickitout.org/news.php/news_id/2864 The Hidden race]. Kickitout.org. Retrieved on 22 May 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-mark-of-a-cool-hero-1146344.html Cricket: Mark of a cool hero]. Independent.co.uk (22 February 1998). Retrieved on 2018-05-22.</ref>

Butcher attended Cumnor House Prep School,<ref>[http://content-usa.cricinfo.com/england/content/story/74479.html Cricinfo article: "My School Sport: Mark Butcher"]. Content-usa.cricinfo.com (19 August 1998). Retrieved on 2018-05-22.</ref> [[Trinity School of John Whitgift|Trinity School]] and [[Archbishop Tenison's C of E High School, Croydon|Archbishop Tenison's School]] in Croydon, and supports the local [[association football|football]] team, [[Crystal Palace F.C.|Crystal Palace]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_/ai_n12844082 | work=Sunday Mirror | title=Football: World Cup 2002: Test aces lifted by triumph | date=16 June 2002}}</ref>

At one time during his playing career, Butcher was married to former England and Surrey teammate [[Alec Stewart]]'s sister Judy.<ref name="cric"/> Surrey's former coach and player, [[Alan Butcher]], is his father, and his brother, [[Gary Butcher|Gary]], played for [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club|Glamorgan]] and Surrey.<ref name="cric"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{ESPNcricinfo|id=9327}}

{{England Test cricket captains}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Butcher, Mark}}
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Cricketers from the London Borough of Croydon]]
[[Category:People from Croydon]]
[[Category:People educated at Archbishop Tenison's Church of England High School, Croydon]]
[[Category:People educated at Trinity School of John Whitgift]]
[[Category:English cricketers]]
[[Category:Surrey cricketers]]
[[Category:Surrey cricket captains]]
[[Category:England Test cricketers]]
[[Category:England Test cricket captains]]
[[Category:English cricket commentators]]
[[Category:English people of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Sportspeople of Jamaican descent]]
[[Category:Test and County Cricket Board XI cricketers]]
[[Category:Black British sportsmen]]