SIGNED MINI CRICKET BAT ** MARK BOUCHER ** SA CRICKETER **

It is a measure of the rapidity of Mark Boucher's rise that no-one is quite sure exactly how many cricketing records he currently holds. Fastest man to a 100 dismissals here, highest score by a nightwatchman there, most innings without a bye over the road - they've tumbled out so quickly that it has been difficult to keep up. Probably his most significant achievement, however, came in only his second Test match, his first on home soil, against Pakistan at the Wanderers in February 1998 when he and Pat Symcox put on 195 to set a new Test ninth-wicket partnership record. The real relevance of this feat lay not so much in its numbers, but in the fact that it was built with South Africa in desperate trouble at 166 for 8.

A brilliant, unbeaten 50 in the most thrilling one-day match ever - against Australia at Johannesburg on March 12 - saw South Africa chase down a record 434 with one wicket to go. In the ensuing three-Test series, displayed fine work behind the stumps and showed his love of a contest against Australia with two fantastic half-centuries and 175 runs at 35. Boucher kept decently in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka and played two gritty fifty-plus knocks even as South Africa fell 2-0. He was appointed captain for the ensuing tri-series also featuring India but played no part as South Africa withdrew after a bomb explosion in Colombo. Boucher was replaced as captain for a short home series against Zimbabwe and was named in South Africa's 14-man squad for the Champions Trophy in India, during which he was his side's highest run-scorer.