Geoff Boycott said Mark Boucher had just been terribly, sadly unlucky © Getty Images
By CricketCountry Staff
London: Jul 17, 2012
Former England cricketer and commentator Geoffrey Boycott on Tuesday said England spinner Graeme Swann is much better than his South Africa counterpart Imran Tahir.
"Graeme Swann (their off-spinner) is a superb bowler ... much better than Tahir. I wouldn’t lose any sleep if I were playing Imran Tahir, and I’m 70,” Boycott said.
Both Swann and Tahir are 33-year-old, but the former’s stats in Test cricket give him clear edge over the Pakistan-born spinner.
Swann has bagged 188 wickets at an average of 28.57 from 44 Tests, compared to Tahir’s 18 wickets at 37.05 from seven Test matches.
Boycott added that the eye injury to regular wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was unfortunate, and AB de Villiers will have huge boots to fill in the first Test starting Thursday, July 19.
“You don’t want your career to end like that. It was one in a million ... it’s like walking down the street and one person gets hit by a red bus.
“That’s what happened to Boucher – it’s actually one in zillions and he’s just been terribly, sadly unlucky.
“AB de Villiers will keep wicket all right, because he’s been doing it in 50-overs cricket. But the extra tiredness, mental and physical (in Tests) ... it is tough if you don’t do it regularly,” Boycott was quoted as saying by cricinfo.
“We know he is a super batsman, but when he does six and a half hours (behind the stumps), will it be more tiring mentally to him?” he added.
