England v Australian Headingley 4th Test match

16,17,18,19,20 August 2001 (5-day match) - England won by 6 wickets

Umpires : DR Shepherd and S Venkataraghavan (Ind)

Match Reports : Day 1; Day 2; Day 3; Day 4; Day 5

Toss: Australia (elected to bat) Man of the match - Mark Butcher

Final Day Report

A truly inspirational knock of 173 not out from Surrey batsman Mark Butcher, guided England to their first victory over Australia in the series by 6 wickets. Set 315 to win after a generous declaration, England reached their target with a little over 19 overs to spare.

At lunch on the final day's play of the fourth Test at Headingley, Australian stand in captain is starting to wonder if his decision to declare the night before was the correct one. England held the upper hand at the break loosing just the two wickets after scoring 118 runs.

After loosing the early wickets of Atherton and then Trescothick, Mark Butcher and England captain Hussain led a spirited fight back against all odd, and could well be on the brink of a superb and unlikely victory.

Atherton was the first casualty, Glenn McGrath picking up the wicket for the 18th time when the ball brushed Atherton's glove and went through to Gilchrist to take a comfortable catch. Trescothick went on the final ball of the 10th over when he played a loose shot to Matthew Hayden in the gully of Gillespie.

Butcher reached his 50 of only 76 balls; the knock included 5 4's demonstrating the attacking skill of the Surrey left-hander. Butcher seemed to relish the responsibility thrust on his shoulders and pounded a tired looking Australian attack, who were unable to find good line and length after such a positive opening half hour.

Brett Lee was again expensive in his first couple of overs, one going for 13 runs which had included two cover drives from the in form Mark Butcher. Hussain at the other end was playing a more sedate and supportive role, recognising the fact that Butcher was scoring quick enough for both batsmen.

Earlier in his innings, Hussain hooked Jason Gillespie over a brick wall at the Kirkstall Lane end for six, and in doing lost the ball, the umpires calling for a replacement. The game changed after this; the Australian's failed to bowl with as much aggression and England started to get on top of the bowlers.

At tea on the final day, England have taken a giant stride towards a victory here at Headingley., England need 93 runs to win with 7 wickets remaining in their second innings after Butcher and Hussain put on a superb partnership of 181, Butcher scoring 116 of them.

Hussain, lucky to survive two appeals for leg before off Jason Gillespie in consecutive deliveries, fell to the same bowler the very next ball, Vengkat raising his finger for a caught behind down the leg side. The England captain wasn't amused with the decision and made his feeling known. Television replays showed that he missed the ball as it took a deflection off his thigh pad.

England are in complete control of this game, although Australia have fought back in the last few overs before tea, Gillespie bowling with accuracy and Brett Lee bowling a long fast spell from the other end. In fact during his spell, Lee bowled the quickest ball of the series at 94.6 mph, two other balls failed to register on the speedometer so who knows if he had indeed broken the 100.

Butcher at tea is 117 not out, his highest Test score; Ramprakash on 7 not out off only 13 deliveries, England 3 for 222.

England never looked like loosing the game after reaching tea in such a commanding position and with Butcher's mammoth innings, they truly deserved their first victory. Butcher faced 227 balls, hit 23 fours and one huge six for his undefeated 173.

Deciding that it was time to hit the required runs, Butcher launched into Gillespie's final over, hitting him for 15 of 19 runs in his over. It was left to Butcher to hit the winning runs on the second ball of the next over off Shane Warne, the Australian bowler being the first to congratulate the batsman on his knock and match win.

The 315 runs scored is the second highest 4th innings total to win a Test match by England, narrowly beating the 1994 total of 9 for 315 at Karachi, but just short of the 7 for 332 against Australia at Melbourne in 1928/9.