Boucher To Mentor De Kock Ahead Of ODI Series

Boucher To Mentor De Kock Ahead Of ODI Series

Quinton de Kock (bottom) will spend time working with Mark Boucher ahead of taking over the gloves in the ODI series against New Zealand

©REUTERS / Action Images

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have recruited former international wicket-keeper Mark Boucher to mentor Quinton de Kock, who will keep wicket in the first One-Day International against New Zealand on Saturday (19th January).

CSA have opted to give regular wicket-keeper AB de Villiers a break for the series, with de Kock set to spend time with Boucher before the 20-year-old takes over the gloves in Paarl.

bet365 make South Africa overwhelming 1/4 favourites for the opening match with New Zealand 3/1. De Kock is 14/1 to mark his debut with a man-of-the-match performance.

Explaining the situation, coach Gary Kirsten said: "When Mark retired I said to him to him that his 147 Test matches of experience at International level is something I wouldn’t want to turn away, I think he has a lot to offer.

"We felt that the perfect place would be for a younger 'keeper like Quinton to spend some time with him and to really give him an understanding of the skills required and more importantly the pressure of International competition."

Boucher was forced to retire last year after he was struck in the eye by a bail during South Africa's tour game against Somerset. De Villiers has since stepped up as first-choice wicket-keeper.

Although de Kock has played three Twenty20 Internationals, he is yet to make his ODI debut. In his career to date, he has played 43 times in all formats as a wicket-keeper, scoring four centuries.

© Cricket World 2013