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Cricket

Mark Boucher hopes to regain full sight

Dunya News

Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher says he will be out of the game for some time.

It is because he looks to regain full sight in his left eye after a freak accident tore his retina.It is unlikely that I will play any professional cricket again in the near future, which is very unfortunate as I was looking forward to contributing as a player for the (provincial side Cape) Cobras.The risk of additional damage to my left eye or even damage to the other eye, doesnt warrant it, Boucher said in a statement released through Cricket South Africa.Boucher, 35, had to quit his countrys Test tour of England after a bail hit him in the eye in a tour match at Taunton on July 9. A day later it was announced that he had retired from international cricket.He underwent emergency operation in England, then flew home for further surgery in Cape Town.His medical team then said they were optimistic Boucher could recover vision in his left eye.Boucher said: It has been a difficult time for me mentally and physically -- I have lost the lens, iris and pupil in my left eye. There was severe damage to my retina.I have had two major operations and four blood draining operations in the past three weeks and physically, at times, I have been in a lot of pain.I believe I am in good hands with my eye specialist and I accept that the healing process is a long one and that attaining some vision in my left eye will take some time and a lot of patience.It does get uncomfortable at times and being a sportsman, I want to be active and outdoors but, without a pupil, I find any amount of sunlight very harsh and have thus been restricted to the confines of my home.But he added that messages of support had helped.I have been overwhelmed by the incredible support I have received, he said, although he insisted that he did not want peoples sympathy.Injuries happen and this could have happened earlier on in my career, he explained.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.This is just another challenge in my life and something that I will be working to overcome.Doctors had feared the wicketkeeper would be left totally blind in the damaged eye but the prognosis has since improved.Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher said Wednesday that he lost the lens, iris and pupil of his left eye in the freak accident at a match that forced him to retire early from the game he loved.Boucher released a statement describing his injuries in detail for the first time and discussing his recovery since the July accident during a tour match in England against Somerset. Along with his future plans, he also described the pain of undergoing two major operations and four blood drainings from his injured eye.Physically, at times, I have been in a lot of pain, Boucher said, adding that he hoped to regain some vision in his eye that also suffered retina damage. It does get uncomfortable at times and being a sportsman, I want to be active and outdoors but, without a pupil, I find any amount of sunlight very harsh and have thus been restricted to the confines of my home.Boucher was hurt when a delivery from leg-spinner Imran Tahir hit the bail, which then ricocheted into his eye. He announced his international retirement the day after the injury following an operation on the ruptured eyeball.The injury stopped Boucher from becoming just the second South African and seventh player to reach 150 test appearances. Boucher left the game with a record 555 test dismissals, over 100 more than Australias Adam Gilchrist in second, and 425 ODI dismissals, along with 19 in Twenty20s.He was one short of becoming the first wicketkeeper to reach 1,000 international dismissals.He also averaged 30.30 as a middle and lower order batsman in tests with five centuries and 35 half centuries, adding to his reputation as a gutsy and ultra-competitive player.Boucher said Wednesday that it was unlikely he will play professional cricket in the near future, for fear of further damaging his eyes. Instead, he plans to help fight rhino poaching in South Africa, to run a wine label.