My best day in cricket too, says dad

Alan Butcher spoke today of his "immense pride" at his son's thrilling performance.

Butcher senior, assistant coach at Surrey, watched his son's innings on television at his home in Coggeshall, Essex.

He revealed that he had given Mark intensive coaching during the winter after his batting form had failed. Mark said: "Dad told me he thought I was a better player than I had shown up to that point and we decided to work on a few things."

His father said: "During the winter we worked on a few technical things in the indoor nets. That is the hard, unglamorous side of sport but you have to do it if you want to succeed - and Mark wanted to. I feel immensely proud. It was the best day I've had in cricket. I don't think it makes much difference that I have been a professional player - any father would feel the same. As he appoached the 100-mark, I was doing a fair bit of shouting at the TV."

The Butchers made history in 1991 as the first father and son to play against each other at first-class level in England when Surrey met Glamorgan.