Mark Boucher

Profile

In Boucher, South Africa trusts. Not just as replacement of Gilchrist-standards for Dave Richardson, but as one of the finest finishers of cricket innings. It’s hard to oust one over the other – being the game’s most successful man behind the sticks or the countless, unsung roles played with Klusener and Rhodes in the heyday to put teams to sword. Had it not been for the mesmerizing Gilchrist, the workman like Boucher wouldn’t be overshadowed.

As a lower order batsman, he was symbolic of how traditionally deep South Africa have always batted. While not a holder of startling averages, it’s a product of well played cameos. The earliest memorable instance came in Bombay in 2000 while chasing 163 in the final innings of a low-scoring Test. South Africa were down to 6/128 when a quick-fire 27 coming at number 7 dispelled all nerves and later championed the Proteas to a maiden Test series win in India. A year later during Shaun Pollock’s debut series as captain, an 87 run 7th-wicket stance with Lance Klusener again got South Africa out of trouble from 6/122 to clinch the series against Australia, both Klusener and Boucher recording half-centuries. While at home to England in 2000, a 108 in the second innings helped South Africa record a mammoth second inning total to save the Test after being forced to follow on.

Perhaps his career highlight would have been in 2006 when playing Australia; Boucher scored the winning runs in what is regarded as the greatest ODI ever played, when his team successfully chased the then-record ODI score of 434, quickly refreshing record-books. South Africa won the ODI with Boucher on the crease for the final wicket with Makhaya Ntini, scoring a boundary to clinch victory while also notching his half-century. However, it was disappointing to see a cricketer of his calibre being dropped, when in 2010, Boucher played his last ODI and was not included thereafter, even in the World Cup that followed. But in 2011, a freak injury to their regular wicket-keeper AB de Villiers announced his comeback to the one-day side for South Africa's series against Australia.

Through it all, his performance behind the wicket has become unbeatable after initially struggling with the role. With the help of the then coach Bob Woolmer, he put in extra shifts to hone the skill. It’s part of the reason why Boucher plays second fiddle to gifted talents such as Adam Gilchrist, Andy Flower, and later MS Dhoni. Never a natural, he’s a product of hard-work and dedication, two qualities that have epitomized South Africa through trying times such as match-fixing scandals, changes of captaincy and drop in standards and eventually restore levels of yore.

Fast Facts

• Mark Boucher is the most successful Test wicket keeper in terms of dismissals, above Australian Adam Gilchrist.
• In the ODI charts, the standings are reversed with Boucher being 2nd best in history.
• His 44-ball ODI century against Zimbabwe in 2006 is the second-fastest ODI century and the best for South Africa.
• Boucher’s 21-ball 50 in the 2007 World Cup against Netherlands was then the fastest World Cup fifty, only to be toppled days later by Brendon McCullum by a single delivery less.
• Along with Hansie Cronje and Shaun Pollock, he’s the only South African to play 100 consecutive ODIs.

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Career

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