When the inevitable strikes

A terrible blow to the eye, and a distinguished cricketing career came to an end with the same kind of suddenness with which the bail hit Mark Boucher’s eye.

Playing a practice match against Somerset, the seasoned Proteas wicket-keeper met with a freak accident which once and for all, put an end to all kinds of speculations about how long was Mark Boucher going to remain the man guarding behind the stumps. With that injury, came the announcement from the man himself, that he won’t be able to make any further contribution to South African Cricket and that it was time for him to bid adieu to the center stage.

One of the bitter truths about sports is, that while we watch a seasoned professional over a length of time, his place and availability is almost taken for granted by the followers of the game. Mark Boucher’s decision struck like a sudden bolt from the blue, owing to the unexpected and bizarre circumstances. It is also one of the many funny mystiques of the game that even when we know it deep inside that some or the other day, a sportsperson will eventually have to hang up his/her boots, yet when a player announces his further unavailability for future assignments, the particular moment leaves us totally blank. And just as mentioned a little earlier that since we become so used to their presence on the field, that for a moment, it is almost a gut-wrenching feeling to think that the game will no longer witness their involvement.

Had such an injury occurred say, 5 years back, Mark wouldn’t have had to think about his retirement. Surgery would have been done, rest would have been taken and he would have been back on the field within months. What undid him on this occasion, as he himself realised, was the amount of time it would have taken to heal his injury and keeping the future development of South African cricket in mind, it was only imperative on his part to make way for a new face (Thami Tsolekile), to take over the responsibility.

Mark Boucher served as South Africa’s premier Wicket-keeper batsman for almost 15 years and experienced both the most exciting and the most heart-wrenching moments that South Africa could be a part of. Be it the ’99 World Cup semi-final tie against Australia, or the breath-taking record 434 run chase against the same opponents 7 years down the line, Boucher was everywhere. He even hit the winning runs in that match, with a boundary over long-on, anchoring the mammoth chase lower down the order. A moment he would savor all his life.

A fabulous career decorated with 999 dismissals in all forms of the game, came to an abrupt and sad end. If only he wore a helmet while keeping to a leg-spinner, he would have been saved. If only he was wearing his shades, he would have been saved. Well, the sad part is that the term “if only” barely has any significance in practicality since it is only a reflection on “what might have been”. Age certainly became a factor while taking this decision as it had a direct relation to the amount of time it would have taken to heal his injury.

And as if this wasn’t enough, came the revelation a few days later from one of the most celebrated bowling speedsters of modern day Cricket, Brett Lee, announcing his retirement from International Cricket. The workload that an express pace bowler has to carry, must have now felt a little too heavy for the rockstar bowler. And again, a situation quiet similar to that of Mark Boucher’s announcement. We all knew that someday, Brett Lee will have to bid adieu to the game, yet when the announcement came, the news was met with eyes wide open staring into computer screens and Television channels.

Yet another Cricketing career, lasting over a decade came to an end (though only in its International Form for as of now). And what a spectacular career it had turned out to be. Lee’s rise in the game co-incided with Australia’s decade long domination. At his unforgiving pace, he was the perfect foil for his more experienced and seasoned partner Glenn McGrath whose forte was a tight line and length. Together, the two of them terrorised batting line-ups across the globe, opening the bowling for the Aussies. Brett Lee’s presence on the field itself was a treat and an assurance of action in the game. Be it his electrifying duels with Sachin Tendulkar, which always brought the crowd alive, whether at the MCG or Eden Garden or any other place on earth, or those deadly toe-crushers which made some of the best in the business appear as sitting ducks.

Two fierce competitors, who graced the game with their remarkable achievements and set new standards and benchmarks of excellence, have now called it a day. Incidentally, they are also the same guys who were involved in the last over battle in the intense 434 run-chase match at Johannesburg. The two legends of the game would be thoroughly missed. Yet, the beauty of the game is such, that the exit of one seasoned pro, lays the opportunity for a rookie to make his own name. Yes, we the followers of the game have seen the twilight of these two magnificent careers setting into dark, but what we can be sure about is that with their departure, more new dawns are set to break in and grace the game with their shine.

Sports in an unending, ever evolving procedure in which ‘change’ is inevitable.

And when the inevitable strikes, the sun has to set, for a new day to begin.

When the inevitable strikes, some long written chapters are to be closed, and some new ones are to be written.