PHOTO: When Boucher got hit on the eye

A freak injury has turned out to be a potential career-ending one for South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. The veteran suffered a cut to his left eye ball during a warm-up match against English county side Somerset and will need to undergo surgery.

Boucher was injured when a delivery from leg-spinner Imran Tahir flicked the bail into his face, forcing the 35-year-old off the field with blood coming from his eye.

"Mark suffered a laceration to the sclera of his left eye," team manager Mohammad Moosajee told the Cricket South Africa website (www.cricket.co.za).

"He will undergo emergency exploratory surgery in the next few hours, after which the ophthalmologist will be able to determine the extent of the damage," said Moosajee.

Boucher, who was replaced by AB de Villiers behind the stumps, will return home and has been ruled out of the three-match test series against England starting on July 19 at The Oval in London.