CAPE TOWN: Mark Boucher, the South African wicketkeeper, has become the first cricketer to take 500 Test catches during the opening session of the first Test against Australia on Wednesday. His 500th dismissal was that of Australian opener Phillip Hughes who was caught behind off the bowling of Test debutant Vernon Philander.
Philander's maiden Test wicket came on his home ground and Boucher extended his world record for catches in Tests with a regulation take to move 121 ahead of former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist's 379 victims.
Two of Boucher's catches behind the stumps came against Australia when he represented the ICC World XI in October 2005 and the remaining 498 were for his country.
Playing in his 140th Test, Boucher made his debut in 1997 against Pakistan and played 75 consecutive Tests before being dropped for the tour to India in 2004.