Boucher to meet eye specialist to chart course of recovery

Cape Town, July 12: Mark Boucher will meet a specialist on Thursday as he starts the recovery process from an injury that brought an early end to his international career.

Proteas team manager Mohammed Moosajee accompanied Boucher on his return to South Africa on Wednesday.

“On behalf of Boucher and the Proteas I wish to say ''thanks'' for the amazing messages of support from around the world. At this stage the prognosis is still unknown but I can report that Boucher has suffered extensive injury to the left eye,” Moosajee said.

“We want to request for privacy at this time as we care about his interest and well-being. There will be a time when Boucher will address the fans and media when he''s ready. It is sad that his career had to end in the way it did.

“He’ll be starting consultations tomorrow and with time we''ll know more about the situation,” Sport24 quoted the team manager, as saying.

Boucher announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday after undergoing surgery, following a freak accident when a bail hit him in the left eye during a tour match against Somerset in Taunton.

He had been expected to announce his retirement after the three-match Test series against England.

Boucher retired as statistically the most successful wicketkeeper of all time with 999 dismissals (one of them as a fielder) in all international formats of the game, including a world record 555 dismissals in Test cricket.

He also holds the South African record for the fastest ODI century and the global ninth-wicket Test match partnership record with Pat Symcox.