South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher has announced his retirement for international cricket. This follows a severe eye injury he obtained during a match in England yesterday. He was rushed into surgery following the fluke accident in which his eyeball was ruptured. He will be returning to South Africa soon. Captain Graeme Smith read Boucher’s statement out at a press briefing earlier:
“It is with sadness, and in some pain, that I make this announcement. Due to the severity of my eye injury, I will not be able to play International cricket again. I had prepared for this UK tour as well, if not better than I have prepared for any tour in my career. I had never anticipated announcing my retirement now, but circumstances have dictated differently. I have a number of thank you’s 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.”
Related articles
- Eye surgery for wicketkeeper Boucher after freak accident (edition.cnn.com)
- Cricket: Cricket: Mark Boucher suffers serious eye injury (walesonline.co.uk)
- Boucher suffers eyeball rupture (iol.co.za)
