Whenever there's a lull in between big games, the media usually return to the favourite topic of 'should (so and so) retire/give up the captaincy..?'. In recent times, the subject has ranged between Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Graeme Smith, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid and back to Tendulkar, ad infinitum. And it was ever thus. Once a batsman reached his late '30s, one bad series and thoughts inevitably drift towards fallibility and calling it a day before the selectors do it for you. The aforementioned world superstars have all suffered bad runs only for form to return miraculously and we all wonder why we ever doubted them. Form is temporary, class is permanent, right? However, age catches up with everyone at some point. Even the greatest players of all time lose their powers, otherwise Australia would have played Bradman into his nineties and the Windies eleven would still include Richards, Lloyd, Lara, Sobers, Holding, Garner and co. Actually, that wouldn't be such a bad idea!
However, some players just go on and on without anyone really questioning their right to a place in the Test team. They become simply part of the furniture, a comfy sofa which becomes a bit worn, out of shape yet continues to do the job. One such person is Mark Boucher, and the South African wicketkeeper has made the first move by hinting strongly at imminent retirement, probably after the England tour this summer.
Although only 35, he has played 144 Tests and 295 ODIs over the past 15 years, missing only a handful of five-day games in that period. His career has been extended by giving way to AB De Villiers in one-day formats but even a stubborn, competitive sportsman like Boucher knows that his time is nearly up. It's not just being negative. As he says, he is looking forward to spending Christmas at home with the family for the first time since the 1990s, and who can blame him? So what makes Boucher so special?
I wrote a few months ago about Boucher achieving his 500th Test catch, miles ahead of his nearest rival, but these days 'keepers are expected to be worth their place as a batsman, too, which is a tall order. The South African has five Test centuries to his name, which is fewer than Matt Prior and Kamran Akmal, yet he has kept his place through obstinate late order fifties and match-winning partnerships with top-order stars to win or save games. And presumably because there have been no obvious replacements. So who can follow such a class act?
A decade ago, Ian Healy was a similar long-standing 'keeper/batsman for Australia who had kept a certain Adam Gilchrist out of the side. Gilly went on to become one of the finest attacking batsman of the modern era, while also being a fine gloveman, too. The man who in 2004 briefly kept Boucher's seat in the side warm, Thami Tsolekile, has been given a central contract and must be in the running. At 31, he is no spring chicken but his glovework is apparently highly regarded, even if his batting record is less impressive: around 4500 first-class runs at under 30.
Boucher has spoken of his mentorship of Dane Vilas at the Cape Cobras. At 26, the Jo'burg right-hander is a superior batsman, averaging an excellent 45 and a century every five matches. He is also no mean player in one-dayers either, although I can't see AB giving up his place in ODIs just yet. What prevents Vilas becoming an automatic choice for the Test 'keeper spot is his ability behind the stumps but that could yet come to maturity. The third leading contender is Heino Kuhn. Like Vilas, he is a good strokemaker, whose century and 128 contributed to the Titans' record win in the final first-class match of the domestic season. At 27 he must be in his prime and has experience of international cricket, albeit in five T20Is, in which he made no impression at all with the bat.
It will be interesting to see who the selectors opt to take on the England tour alongside Mark Boucher. The incumbent would love to bow out in style. His Test average is a modest 30 but against England rises to almost 35. However, he failed to register a single half-century four years ago and it would be nice should he add some runs to his speed and athleticism behind the wicket this coming summer. If he doesn't, there is a queue of players waiting to take their chance at long last, to emerge from the shadow of one of the most formidable and respected Test players of the past twenty years.
