Mark Boucher retires from international cricket

South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has been forced to retire from international cricket because of an eye injury.

In a statement read out by South Africa captain Graeme Smith on Tuesday, Boucher said the severity of the injury he suffered in a tour game against Somerset had ended his Test career.

Boucher, who no longer plays international limited-overs cricket, would have reached 150 Test appearances in the three-match series against England that was also expected to be his farewell tour.

Boucher sustained a ruptured left eyeball when he was struck by a bail standing up to the stumps to leg-spinner Imran Tahir on Monday.