Basil Butcher was a true Guyanese Cricketer...playing for West Indies, Guyana, McKenzie, Berbice or Demerara... you can expect some fireworks when he is at the wicket
Basil Butcher
West Indies
Full name Basil Fitzherbert Butcher
Born September 3, 1933, Port Mourant, Berbice, British Guiana
Current age 80 years 12 days
Major teams West Indies, British Guiana, Guyana
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Legbreak
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | 100 | 50 | Ct | St | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 44 | 78 | 6 | 3104 | 209* | 43.11 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 0 |
| First-class | 169 | 262 | 29 | 11628 | 209* | 49.90 | 31 | 54 | 67 | 0 |
| List A | 5 | 4 | 1 | 107 | 57 | 35.66 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 44 | 6 | 256 | 90 | 5 | 5/34 | 5/51 | 18.00 | 2.10 | 51.2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| First-class | 169 | 2193 | 1217 | 40 | 5/34 | 30.42 | 3.32 | 54.8 | 1 | 0 | |||
| List A | 5 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1/10 | 1/10 | 10.00 | 5.00 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Test debut | India v West Indies at Mumbai (BS), Nov 28-Dec 3, 1958 scorecard |
| Last Test | England v West Indies at Leeds, Jul 10-15, 1969 scorecard |
| First-class span | 1954-1971 |
| List A span | 1963-1973 |
A supple, wristy, resolute batsman, Basil Butcher became a consistently reliable performer at No. 4 or 5 in the West Indies order. In his first Test series, against India in 1958-59, he made 486 runs at 69.42, but had a chequered career thereafter, until the 1963 tour of England, when he made 383 runs in eight completed innings, including 133 out of 229 in the memorable draw at Lord's. During an interval in that match he opened a letter which advised him that (against a background of civil war) his wife had had a miscarriage back home in Guyana. Very upset, Butcher continued to play a solid and masterly innings which saved his side.
Two fine series against Australia led Richie Benaud to consider him the most difficult of all West Indians to get out.
An occasional leg spinner himself, the only Test wickets Butcher took were all in one innings - 5 for 34 (four coming in three overs) against England at Port-of-Spain in 1967-68.(This is the Test match in Trinidad where Sobers made the Famous "Sporting Declaration.... setting England a target of 215 runs....and Boycott and Cowdrey brought them that famous Victory) Christopher Martin-Jenkins
- Articles
- When Irish eyes were smiling (Jul 7, 2007)
- Chapman in charge (Sep 3, 2003)
- All out for 25 (Jul 2, 2003)
- Basil Butcher (1970)
Jul 20, 1963
Basil Butcher bats
© PA Photos
1963
Basil Butcher
© Getty Images
1963
Basil Butcher leaves the field after scoring an unbeaten 129 against England
© The Cricketer International