CAPE TOWN. Nov 10 (Internet report): Mark

Butcher will go back to the basics and trust his instincts In an attempt to rediscover his form ana secure his place in England's line-up for the first Test.

The Surrey left-hander's performances in South Africa have failed to convince, scoring only 24 runs in four innings although he was the victim of a run out misunderstanding with Michael Atherton in the draw against a Combined Western Province/Griqualand XI in Cape Town.

His disappointing form mirrors that of last winter in Australia, when he scored just nine runs in four completed innings in the build-up to the first Test, but responded with England's only century of the winter at Brisbane.

This time, he is determined not to become confused or diverted by too many opinions about what is going wrong and after consultations with lather and former Surrey and England batsman Alan Butcher before he came away, he Is more; adamant than ever that a basic approach is the answer.

"Performances in cricket are usually to do with whether you are in the groove." he explained. "The idea is that you just keep hammering away, there is nothing really specific you can do other than the basic principles of batting like keeping your hpad still and not moving too much before the ball comes down.

"I've learnt that over analysing your game can be dangerous. I know players who Mve got themselves In such a

over what they are doing through different theories and ideas, but I try and keep things quite simple."

His first chance to impress will be this Friday when England take on a Combined Free State/Griqualand XI in Bloemfontein, the first of two remaining first class matches before the tourists assemble in Johannesburg for their first meeting with South Africa.

He has kept himself going through his barren run. which also includes 15 Test innings without a half centuiy since that Brisbane hundred, by reminding himself of his spectacular form against South Africa Just over a year ago.

During that 1998 series. Butcher firmly established himself as a Test opener by topping England's batting averages at 56.33. including a match-winning maiden century in the decisive Test at Headingley.

He said: "The last series against them was a particularly good one for me and that is always in the back of your mind. If you start having any doubts, you try and call upon past performances and remind yourself that you've played against these players in 1998 and played very