LONDON: Mark Boucher was forced to retire from test cricket because of an eye injury yesterday, suddenly ending the career of the game’s most successful wicketkeeper and leaving him stranded on 999 international dismissals.
South Africa wicketkeeper Boucher, who holds the record for test dismissals and is second on the one-day list, said “with sadness and in some pain” he had to give up international cricket because of the ruptured left eyeball injury he suffered in a tour game against Somerset on Monday.
It robbed him of what was expected to be a farewell series in England, where he also would have become just the second South African and seventh player to reach 150 test appearances.
Boucher left with a record 555 Test dismissals, over 100 more than Australia’s Adam Gilchrist in second, and 425 ODI dismissals, along with 19 in Twenty20s. He was one short of becoming the first wicketkeeper to 1,000 international dismissals.
He also averaged 30.30 as a middle and lower order batsman in tests with five centuries and 35 half centuries, adding to his reputation as a gutsy and ultra-competitive player.
In a statement read out by South Africa captain Graeme Smith at Somerset’s County Ground in Taunton, Boucher said that due to the severity of the eye injury he wouldn’t be able to play tests again. He was no longer part of the one-day team.
“I had never anticipated announcing my retirement now, but circumstances have dictated differently,” Boucher said. “I have a number of thankyous to make to people who have made significant contributions during my international career, which I will do in due course.
“For now I would like to thank the huge number of people, many of whom are strangers, for their heartfelt support during the past 24 hours. I am deeply touched by all the well wishes. I wish the team well in the UK, as I head home and onto a road of uncertain recovery.”
