Nobody likes to see a player suffering a bad injury during play, especially when it's a freak accident. However, when a bail spun up from Gemaal Hussein's shattered wicket and caught Mark Boucher in the eye, it wasn't immediately obviously apparent how serious it was.
The day's play in Taunton should have been about the South Africans' practice for the forthcoming Test series against England, or at least by Peter Trego's brave dismantling of Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis. The Somerset all-rounder's blitz of an innings deserved to take the headlines but instead, it could be that Boucher, set to end his magnificent 15-year Test career this summer, may be forced to bring forward that retirement. Let's hope that surgery on the eye laceration is successful and there is no lasting damage. Donning the gloves and standing up to Imran Tahir again would be a bonus.
Meanwhile, another long-standing wicketkeeper has announced his immediate exit from the international scene. Tatenda Taibu has been part of Zimbabwean cricket for a decade. He's been through two major player revolts, the first black captain of his country (succeeding Heath Streak) and one retirement and now, aged just 29, he has chosen to quit such a quiet life to focus on working for the church. While never a global household name because of his country, he wasn't a bad player at all. His Test batting average of just above 30 was almost identical to Boucher's, albeit from far fewer matches. It would have been interesting to see what would have transpired had Tibbly's attempts to secure qualification for South Africa had been pursued to the end. Might he have deposed the legendary Boucher? We'll never know because Taibu returned to Zimbabwean colours after a two-year break in 2007.
Zimbabwe don't get to play many Tests but Taibu managed to play at least two against each of the top nations. His only century and only victories came in home fixtures against Bangladesh but he made some feisty fifties in other contests, notably facing Pakistan and the West Indies. However, he made only ten in his debut against a second-string Windies attack in 2001 and six in his last match, a humbling defeat by New Zealand.
He made more of a mark in limited overs cricket, representing his country in 150 ODIs. Two centuries came not against Bangladesh or the 'Associates' like Ireland or Canada but the mighty South Africa. His 107 not out at more than a run a ball came in a near impossible run chase five years ago, which ended just 28 runs short despite the attentions of Pollock, Ntini, Morkel and a young Philander. His next hundred was struck in a similar situation two years later, but again in a losing cause. Indeed, he enjoyed only 33 ODI victories, a third of them versus Bangladesh. In the famous triumph of Trent Bridge in 2003, he contributed only four runs and the dismissal of Michael Vaughan but it must have been a great day for the tiny 'keeper then aged barely 20.
Good luck to both African wicketkeeper-batsmen over the coming days, weeks and years. They have served their nations well and Boucher deserves to retire on his own terms, just as Taibu has done in his own unusual way.
