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Another mark for Boucher

South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher had most to gain when his captain Hansie Cronje chose to prolong the second Test against England today despite a positive result looking almost impossible.

Boucher had 99 Test dismissals when the captains first had the opportunity to call the match off half an hour early with England safely placed at 135 for four after being set an improbable 302 to win.

When Jacques Kallis then found the outside edge of Andrew Flintoff's bat and Boucher grabbed a brilliant, one-handed catch low to his right, he had reached his century of dismissals in fewer Tests (23) than anyone in the game's history.

He also became, by more than two years, the youngest wicketkeeper to claim 100 victims.

Boucher's predecessor in the South African side, Dave Richardson, shared the old record (24 Tests) with Australia's Wally Grout while England's Alan Knott, at 25 years and 120 days, was older by more than two years when he reached the 100 mark. Boucher turned 23 just 10 days ago.

Boucher was also fastest to 50 dismissals, has a share in the world ninth wicket Test record (195), has the highest score ever made by a nightwatchman (125) and has the longest sequence of runs scored without a bye being conceded in the history of the game.

Of his 100 dismissals, 42 have been claimed off the fast bowling of Allan Donald. ''It's his record as much as it is mine,'' Boucher said. ''I just catch them.''

Meanwhile, England captain Nasser Hussain guided England to a draw on the final day of the second Test yesterday. He batted for just over five hours for an unbeaten 70 as England struggled to 6-153 after being set 302 to win in 79 overs.

The result ended a 10-match run of South African home wins.

Openers Mike Atherton and Mark Butcher were gone after seven overs but Hussain and Michael Vaughan (29) batted for two hours for a stand of 75.

A late flurry of wickets included a controversial decision against Chris Adams.

Lance Klusener, who hit a rapid 174 in South Africa's first innings, was man of the match.

South Africa lead the five-match series 1-0, with the third Test to be played in Durban from December 26.

Hussain, who hit 82 in the first innings, was "very pleased" at the way his young team had come back after its defeat in Johannesburg. But he was disappointed not to have finished South Africa off after they were five wickets down on the first day.

"My plan was going perfectly until we got Lance Klusener, who batted magnificently," he said.

South Africa's run of 10 home victories began in 1997-98 and included wins against Pakistan, Sri Lanka (2), West Indies (5), Zimbabwe and England.

It equalled the record set by India between 1988-89 and 1994-95, when they defeated New Zealand, Sri Lanka, England (3), Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka (3) and West Indies.

Agencies