Boucher joins SA support staff for NZ Tests

Former South Africa wicketkeeper Mark Boucher has joined the national team's support staff in preparation for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. Boucher, whose 147-Test career ended in 2012 with an eye injury, will work with the squad for three days before the first Test in Durban, which starts on Friday, and should also spend time with them ahead of the second Test in Centurion later this month. While his focus will be on Quinton de Kock's wicketkeeping, Boucher will also work on the lower order's batting skills and the overall mental aspect of the game.

"Mark is a guy that is highly respected. It will be particularly good for young Quinton de Kock to spend some time with him and work on his keeping and do a few fielding drills," coach Russell Domingo said.

In the absence of AB de Villiers, who will sit out of the series with an elbow injury, de Kock is guaranteed to don the gloves in both matches. He will also have the responsibility of marshalling the tail, much like Boucher did, a particular area of focus for Domingo.

Last season, he roped in then Dolphins coach Lance Klusener to work with the lower order ahead of the England series. It paid some dividends when, in the lone match South Africa won in Centurion, de Kock shared three half-century stands for the sixth, eighth and ninth wickets with Temba Bavuma, Kyle Abbott and Dane Piedt respectively.

Vernon Philander's imminent return to the XI will provide another possible partner for de Kock, and Boucher is set to work with all of them on prolonging innings as much as possible. "Mark enjoys working with lower order because he likes to toughen guys up," Domingo said.

Primarily, it's the bulldog in Boucher that Domingo wants to make use of. His main job will be to attempt to impart some of the never-say-die approach that defined his style of play into a South African side stung by a season of disappointment. After losing back-to-back Test series, they slipped from No. 1 to 6, and also crashed out of the World T20 in the first round. Although Domingo said he will no longer use the term "team in transition" because of the experience in the side, he conceded that his relatively "new" bunch needed some mental muscle.

"Mark has got the reputation of having that fighting spirit and epitomising what the Proteas have always stood for in terms of being tough,'" Domingo said. "It's by no means the same team that got that No. 1 ranking. This is a new team and this team needs to try and set their own legacy and their own benchmark. It's a great opportunity for these guys to do something special, something that not many people are expecting them to do."

South Africa can climb to No. 5 with a 2-0 win over New Zealand, which Domingo hopes could be the start of their rise back up the rankings. It may also be the only way Domingo manages to keep his job, which remains at risk despite CSA abandoning an independent review into national team performances. Domingo's contract runs until April next year, but with important away trips to Australia and New Zealand before then, and a Champions Trophy, followed by an England tour soon after his deal expires, this New Zealand series could be a litmus test for him, and he seems set on getting as much help as he needs to keep it.

"I always have tried to [bring in former players]," Domingo said. "To not tap into some of our past players would be foolish of us, particularly a guy that wants to offer something."

Boucher is the sixth former international to work as a consultant in the Domingo era, following Gary Kirsten, Mike Hussey, Graeme Smith, Klusener and Neil McKenzie, who remains in charge as batting coach. Domingo also had two former internationals as bowling coaches, Allan Donald and incumbent Charl Langeveldt, as well as Claude Henderson as their spin-bowling coach.