Mark Boucher and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Brett-Lee-c48419 - Reflecting on Cricket’s high-profile retirements in 2012 - Part 3 - Opinion
Mark Boucher:
The announcement was short but sudden and left everyone in a shock after http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MV-Boucher-c2048, the greatest wicket-keeper in the history of the game, was forced to retire due to a severe eye injury. It was the saddest way to end one of the most glittering careers
of the modern era.
All the leading newspapers flashed the pictures of Boucher grimacing in visible pain; his doctors later revealed that the South African great lost his iris, lens and pupil when a bail struck his left eye during the warm-up match against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Somerset-c843 at Taunton.
When he made his debut against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755 as a 19-year-old in 1997, his arrival on the international scene was a virtual non-event; where he managed just six runs with the bat and failed to earn a dismissal behind the stump. He was criticised for not leaving
much of an impression with his batting, but there was never a doubt over his glove work.
In no time, he became the regular gloveman of the team, equalling records set by his predecessors. He improved his batting skills and became known as the ‘man of crisis’ in the lower middle-order of the Proteas batting lineup.
But it was his wicket-keeping that has always kept him in the picture; he broke one world record after another and ended up with a tally that looks unlikely to be breached anytime in near or distant future - very distant, perhaps!
While he fell short of a significant landmark of reaching 1000 international dismissals for the first time in Test cricket, his 999 scalps is still a world record including the most catches (532), in addition to being the most capped wicket-keeper.
In 147 Test Matches, Boucher scored 5515 runs (30.30), the second highest by a wicket-keeper, and claimed 555 dismissals (532 catches, 23 stumps) behind the stumps. In 295 ODIs the 35-year-old scored 4686 (28.57) and further completed 403 catches and 22
stumpings, while in 25 T20Is, he scored 268 runs (17.86) and added 19 victims to his wicket-keeping tally (18 catches, 1 stump).
“I am incredibly grateful for the length of career that I have had and the amazing things I have experienced and people I have met during that time. I have been overwhelmed by the incredible support I have received, thank you for the amazing memories,”
Boucher said afterwards.
He may not have received as much limelight as his other contemporaries, but in his own right, Mark Boucher has achieved nothing less than what Sachin Tendulkar and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/M-Muralitharan-c1864 have achieved in their respective departments. He was an inspiration
and will remain so as his legacy will last for many cricket-loving generations.
Brett Lee:
On July 12, 2012 the Australian star bowler, in a move that took everyone by surprise, announced his retirement from international cricket. While there was little doubt that, once one of the world’s fastest bowlers, was fast approaching the twilight of his
career, there was a general perception that the 35-year-old would play international cricket for another couple of years, but a calf-injury he suffered in the ODI series in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 finally forced the Aussie stalwart to take the long-awaited decision.
Since the retirement of Jeff http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 had been looking for a tear away fast bowler to lead their pace attack as their fast bowling department only had some semblance of respectability due to the outstanding exploits of Glenn
McGrath.
Lee burst onto the international scene in late 1999 during the Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/VVS-Laxman-c2772 with his short-pitched deliveries at extreme pace, regularly clocking
over the 150 km/http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Hugh-Morris-c63550.
After initial success on his home soil and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758. Lee however, responded well in the following seasons and managed to cement his place as the mainstay of Australian
pace battery.
Despite a successful decade, winning the World Cup for his team, being the member of the most successful Test team in history and breaking the 160 km/h barrier, his injury-marred career never allowed him to achieve the tag of greatness, which he was destined
for. Recurrent injuries became a norm throughout his playing days and sadly became the reason for him to hang his boots.
While the Aussie player has expressed his desire to continue playing for the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Big Bash League (BBL) after retirement, he will leave his fans with an impressive tally of 310 dismissals (30.81) in 76 Tests and 380 wickets (23.36)
in 221 ODIs - ending up as the fourth most successful bowler for his country.
A true Australian grit, he gave his best till his last, and in time, the world of cricket may find another genuine fast bowler, but there is no doubt that few would dare to reach the high bar set by Brett Lee. A true gentleman on and off the field and a
widely respected cricketer, he has been one of the best ambassadors of the game, and despite his setbacks as a player, he became one of its best too.
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