(Cricket news) Mark Boucher was one of the finest wicket keepers in the world and was the man South Africa always trusted behind the stumps. Boucher played 467 matches for the Proteas while scoring over 10,000 runs including 5 test centuries and an ODI century. He also hit 26 fifties in ODI and 35 in tests even though he batted at 6.

Boucher made his debut for the national team in 1997 against Pakistan at Sheikhupura. He played 147 test matches for the side which is the second most for the Proteas after 

Jacques Kallis who had played 165 matches. His last Test match was in 2012 against New Zealand where he scored 46 in the first innings, he was set to play three more matches in the tour of England until the incident against Somerset. Imran Tahir bowled one to the stumps as the batter missed and the bails hit Boucher’s left eye severely damaging the eyeball which forced him to retire with immediate effect.

Boucher holds the record for most dismissals in test matches with 555 of them in 281 innings, his rough build and short height did not stop him from being very athletic on the field and had one of the most safest hands as dropping catches was not his genes. One of his arch rivals was Adam Gilchrist as both together were in the race for records quite a few times.

Boucher made his ODI debut a year later against New Zealand at Perth along with pacer Makhaya Ntini. Boucher’s most remembered knock will be the 5th ODI in Australia tour of South Africa 15 years ago, he walked at 299-4 as they were chasing a world record score of 435. Boucher hit a half century as four more wickets fell and the team needed 7 runs from the last over which was bowled by speedster Brett Lee. Andrew Hall fell in the third ball as the team needed 2 from three with a wicket to spare, Ntini came in and took a single to give Boucher the  strike with as scores were leveled and the keeper hit a four down the ground as the ground witnessed one of the greatest matches ever in the sport.

Boucher went on to play 295 ODI’s and last played in 2011 against Australia, he has the fourth most dismissals in the format with 424 and overall has 998 dismissals in his career with 19 dismissals in T20 internationals. He is the only player to have taken more than 400 catches in Test matches as Boucher has taken 532 of them and is the only wicket keeper to have played more than 140 test matches.

Boucher records still remain unbroken as his feats will not be challenged for a few more years. The 1000 dismissals mark would have been crossed if the incident wouldn't have happened, Boucher played for the team for 14 years and is still a part of the squad as he is now the head coach and taking on various challenges. South Africa could not have asked for a better person as Boucher is not the one to let things go once it's in his hands.

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