Butcher backs England to win the Ashes

The Surrey star, who retired from first class cricket last week after 16 seasons, believes England will have to be right at the top of their game to get the victory.

He said: "We're going to have to play bloody well, that's the bottom line. We played very well in the previous two test matches but didn't turn up at Headingley.

"It would be nice if we didn't have to win the test match to win the Ashes but it will make it a great test. The Oval can be a difficult place to force results but in the big international games the pitches have got a little bit more life in them so it should still be a cracking match.

"Australia will be confident because of their last performance but I don't think either side is that much better than the other. England have proved in the majority of the series that by being disciplined, bowling good line and length and putting them under pressure that they can be beaten.

"The last performance was an aberration. I don't think there's any special secret. Just play to the best of their ability and they can win the game."

Butcher, 36, believes the return of Andrew Flintoff could tip the balance in England's favour.

He said: "It's a huge bonus. To be missing Kevin Pietersen and Flintoff from the England side has a profound effect on the opposition because they are playing against a team they don't think has anybody there to hurt them.

"It does a lot to boost the Australian side's confidence when they know there's nobody there who can push them around, so it'll be good to have Freddie back."

Butcher, who played in 71 test matches, thinks his home pitch will be a belter for the batsmen, and if Australia only pick four bowlers they could have a problem.

He said: "It'll be a good pitch, I'm sure. Generally there are plenty of runs in it and you have to be a good bowler to get wickets there. Australia have picked an extra batsman in every test match and only gone in with four bowlers but that can be a bit of a gamble at the Oval."

Butcher made his best test score, 173, to help England beat Australia at Headingley in 2001. He played much of his international cricket batting at number three, a position that's become something of a problem for England in recent months. Was he tempted to throw his name into the ring for one last hurrah?

He said: "Everyone's coming out of the woodwork. The press had Marcus Trescothick coming out of retirement, Mark Ramprakash coming back after four years, as well as my choice Rob Key and Jonathan Trott. I wouldn't have been surprised if Ted Dexter had got a game."

For Butcher there is a new career beckoning now that he's given up the cricket. He is in a band about to release its debut album Songs From The Sun House.

He said: "I haven't got a date for it yet but the album's done and finished and there are tracks on my MySpace. We'll be doing some shows too. It's all on there.

"At the moment, having the whole agenda finalised is the problem. I can tell you bits of it but there's more coming over the next month. But check the album out on Myspace."

And does the man who comes from a family steeped in cricket, whose father and brother both played the game professionally, plan to keep involved, perhaps inspired by the Chance to Shine initiative he was supporting last week?

He said: "In terms of coaching I wouldn't say no, but at the moment I'm going to be taking a step back from the nuts and bolts of being around cricket and cricketers.

"But the whole Chance to Shine and Spirit of Cricket thing is very important, it's brilliant.

"It's important the kids getting the chance to play. There's less and less cricket played in state schools and given the opportunity to come and learn about a great game and also get that team ethic and those other things that cricket's so great for is marvellous. Their enthusiasm for it stuns me every time I see it."

Mark Butcher is a Cricket Foundation's Chance to Shine ambassador and was appearing at an MCC Spirit of Cricket summer camp at Victoria Park. For more details visit lords.org.