Jonathon Agnew reports for Radio 5 Live

England reached 191-2 in reply to Western Australia 's declared total of 334-8.

But they had to do it without Butcher who was helped off the ground after the second delivery of the innings from Matt Richardson slipped through the gap between his helmet and safety grille.

The Surrey left-hander needed 10 stitches to a wound above his right eye.

The blow also left Butcher suffering "a certain blurring of vision", according to physio Wayne Morton.

This is the latest in a series of injury setbacks to bedevil England on the early part of the tour with Alec Stewart, Michael Atherton, Dean Headley and Ben Hollioake all already sidelined

Butcher required 10 stitches

Butcher's retirement from the top of the order left England a batsman short and John Crawley fell for just seven to plunge the tourists into trouble until acting captain Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe forged a 76-run partnership spanning 25 overs.

Both batsmen played cautiously until Thorpe opened up just before tea, hitting five boundaries in seven deliveries, but fell top-edging an attempted pull off the second ball after the interval.

Hussain batted on, however, and was unbeaten on 93 at the close having batted for over four hours and hit 13 boundaries while Mark Ramprakash had progressed to 42.

Western Australia v England

England 1st innings:

Butcher retired hurt 0
Crawley b Carey 7
Hussain (capt) not out 93
Thorpe c Cary b Nicholson 42
Ramprakash not out 42

Extras 7

Total (for 2 wkts, 69 overs) 191

To bat: Hegg (wkt), Cork, Croft, Gough, Fraser, Mullally

Fall: 16-1, 92-2

Western Australia 1st innings:

Hussey c Thorpe b Mullally 3
Campbell (wkt) lbw b Gough 1
Langer (capt) c & b Gough 85
Katich lbw 106
Dighton c Cork b Mullally 23
Rogers c Hegg b Ramprakash 14
Harvey lbw Mullally 7
Nicholson not out 58
Oldroyd c Hussain b Gough 9
Jurgensen not out 13 Cary did not bat

Extras 15

Total (8 wkts dec, 110.5 overs) 334

Fall: 4-1 4-2 149-3 193-4 230-5 249-6 266-7 292-8

England bowling

Mullally 25 8 55 3
Gough 27 5 9 74 4
Cork 16 0 63 0
Fraser 25 6 79 0
Croft 15 4 47 0
Ramprakash 2 0 4 1