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Ian Healy's record falls

Boucher pouches wicketkeeping record

Cricinfo staff

October 3, 2007

With a smart stumping to dismiss Umar Gul, Mark Boucher broke Ian Healy's record to become the wicketkeeper with the most dismissals in Test cricket.

Boucher reached the landmark in his 103rd Test, which is 16 matches fewer than it took Healy to get to the figure of 395. Playing primarily on seamer-friendly tracks, Boucher averages over two dismissals per Test innings, and is second-best among the top-five most successful keepers, marginally below Adam Gilchrist's average of 2.128.

Boucher also has a lower ratio of stumpings when compared to Healy and Gilchrist, both of whom had Shane Warne to offer them plenty of stumping opportunities.

Like Jeff Dujon, Boucher has lesser number of stumpings as he has kept primarily to the fast bowlers. Interestingly, he picked up two stumpings in Pakistan's first innings - both off Paul Harris' left-arm spin - the first time he's done it in his career.

It's not surprising that fast bowlers lead the pack for Boucher's bowler-wise dismissal list, with Paul Adams' 16 dismissals in 34 Tests being the best for a spinner.

As the table below illustrates, Boucher has reached each mark in fewer number of Tests than Healy. With age on his side - Boucher, 30, is five years younger than Gilchrist, his nearest competitor - he should be far ahead of the pack by the time he is done with Test cricket.

© Cricinfo