Tuesday 10 July 2012

End Of ANOTHER Era

Since I began writing this blog, I have been able to write about the end of Rahul Dravids Test career, the end of Peyton Manning's time as an Indianapolis Colt, and the calling of time on the career of one of country crickets hungriest run getters in Mark Ramprakash.  It is with a degree of sadness that I find myself writing once again about the end of a great era, as the news filters through of the end of the international (and probably cricketing) career of South African glove man Mark Boucher.

STANDING OUT, STANDING UP


In terms of sheer numbers, Boucher stands apart from all other wicket keepers.  In Test cricket alone, his trusty mitts gobbled up an astonishing 532 catches in his 147 tests, and he backed these up with 23 stumpings (no mean feat, considering the lack of a quality spinner for virtually his entire Test career).  Both the number of catches and the number of matches played are records for a Test wicket keeper.

He was also a nuggety lower order batsman, capable of rescuing his side (his first test century came as a nightwatchman), establishing a dominant position with some lusty late innings hitting or saving his side with the same grim determination.  In terms of runs, he is the second highest run getter for all test match wicket keepers, his 5515 at an average of 30.30 (5 centuries, 23 fifties) a mere 55 runs behind that great freak of nature Adam Gilchrist (though Gilly got his 5570 in fewer matches at a higher average and with more centuries).  He stands up well against other prominent keeper/batsmen of the modern era, with the same number of centuries as Knott, Dhoni and Dujon, a higher average than those great Aussie glove man Healy and Marsh, and more not outs than any other keeper.

He finishes his career after a freak incident in a tour match at Taunton, warming up for his 4th and last tour of England.  An Imran Tahir googly hit the stumps, sending a bail up into the white of Boucher's left eye.  A sad end to a golden career, and one that saw him win, lose and draw a series in England.  His 1st series was in 1998, and he was to play a leading role in the match best remembered for the epic duel between Mike Atherton and Alan Donald at Trent Bridge.  Early in England's chase of 247, an Alan Donald short ball slammed into the glove of Atherton, and flew through to Boucher, who began the celebrations of a prized wicket.  Astonishingly still to this day, the umpire declined to advise Athers that his innings had ended.  Donald was incensed.  So began a spell of fast bowling rarely seen since the days of Bodyline.  Round the wicket Donald kept coming at Atherton, shorter and quicker.  The test match rested on this duel.  In a rare respite, Atherton watched from the non strikers end as Donald induced a nick from Nasser Hussain.  The ball flew through to Boucher...who dropped it.  Donald screamed, the muscles in his neck looking like they were ready to pop.  The spell was broken, Donald was done.  At the end of the over, prior to his taking up his fielding position at fine leg, Donald made a special effort to console his young teammate, a sporting gesture every bit as powerful as Flintoff and Lee's chat at Edgbaston seven years later.  England, famously, hung on to win by 8 wickets, and Atherton (ever the scamp) gifted Donald the glove, with his signature barely covering the red ball mark.

Apparently, Boucher retires on 999 international dismissals (998 of which are as a wicket keeper).The two mentioned above would have taken him to the awesome tally of 1000.  But they didn't.  Such is life.  Farewell Mark, maybe after this series we can take time to dwell on how truly great you are.  One thing is for sure, I'm happy you are not playing, but I wish you'd played again.

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