Thami Tsolekile to replace http://www.senore.com/Cricket/MV-Boucher-c2048 for England series – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013, and eventually led to his retirement from international cricket.
Boucher sustained a lacerated eyeball after a googly from http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Imran-c64193 Tahir sent a bail flying, which hit the 35-year-old in the eye while the South Africans were playing a warm-up match against Somerset at Taunton on July 9. Boucher underwent a 3-hour long operation that very evening, but has since admitted that the prospects of recovery are “uncertain”, and went on to announce his retirement the very next day.
The Proteas’ veteran wicketkeeper batsman retires with a record 555 dismissals from 147 Tests, and 999 international dismissals in total. The England tour would have been his 150th international appearance, after which Boucher had expressed the intent to call it a day.
Faced with the decision to find a new wicketkeeper for the upcoming tour of England, which involves a 3-match Test series (due to commence on July 19), followed by 5 ODIs and 3 T20Is, Cricket South Africa have zeroed in on Tsolekile, although coach Gary Kirsten has revealed that he will not be keeping during the first Test, with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AB-de-Villiers-c887 as the chosen gloveman for the match at the Oval.
“Thami has done very well [for] both the Lions and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Allan-Robert-Border-c43726 de Villiers also able to fill the role of wicketkeeper in the Test series it gives the tour selectors options in this important position.”
The 31-year-old Tsolekile, who was granted a central contract this February, has had a 13-year career in the domestic circuit, which spans 132 first-class matches and 125 List A matches. In two recent unofficial Tests played for South Africa A against Sri Lanka A, Tsolekile took a record 8 catches in the first innings during a game in Durban. He has also played 3 Tests for South Africa in 2004, when Boucher was controversially dropped.
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