"I've always loved touring Australia, but normally I've been on the wrong side of the ropes to enjoy the place to the full. Melbourne and Sydney are my favourite Australian cities, so I can't wait to get out there, meet new friends and watch great cricket with the All Out Cricket Supporters Tour." - Mark Butcher

About Mark Butcher

In a professional career spanning 18 years, Mark Butcher averaged more than 1,000 runs a year for England and his beloved Surrey. Captaining the latter for five seasons between 2005 and 2009, he also led England – against New Zealand at Old Trafford – in 1999.

A county Championship winner three times at the turn of millennium, ‘Butch’ made his Test match debut against Australia at Edgbaston in 1997, and across 20 Ashes matches produced a number of performances that will live long in the memory.

Scoring three of his eight Test matches against the Old Enemy, first innings tons at Brisbane (1998) and Sydney (2003) came either side of a career-best and match-winning 173 not out at Headingley in 2001; a five-hour classic made against a bowling attack of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee that cemented Butch’s place in Ashes folklore. An underrated bowler, he picked up 4-42 – also a career best – at Edgbaston in the same series.

Inexplicably denied a chance in England’s one-day side, Mark made his last appearance for the Three Lions against South Africa in 2004, finishing his career as one of an elite group of Englishmen to pass 4,000 Test match runs. After five years skippering Surrey, injury finally caught up with the veteran last season, and despite averaging over 40 in the five matches he did manage in 2009, Butch decided it was time to call time on a distinguished career.

Now enjoying his retirement, Mark is a well-respected pundit, working as a summariser and a pundit for Sky and, recently, behind the mike during Test Match Special’s coverage of England’s tour to Bangladesh. A keen guitarist, Butch regularly gigs with his band, whilst his album, Songs From The Sun House, was released last year.

Known for his dry sense of humour, Butch’s first hand experience of Ashes cricket and laid-back attitude, make him the perfect leader for this once-in-a-lifetime tour.

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