South Africa wicket-keeper Mark Boucher has been forced to retire from international cricket after suffering a serious eye injury.

The 35-year-old was struck by a bail after Imran Tahir had bowled Somerset's Gemaal Hussain in a tour match at Taunton yesterday.

He was rushed from the field, replaced behind the stumps by AB de Villiers, and immediately underwent surgery to repair a laceration to the white of his left eye.

South Africa team doctor Mohammad Moosajee said: "Mark's surgery, which lasted nearly three hours, showed that he sustained a severe eye injury and although the surgeon was able to repair the eyeball, the sensitive nature of the injury makes it difficult to determine the extent of the long-term damage."

A statement from Boucher read: "It is with sadness, and in some pain, that I make this announcement. Due to the severity of my eye injury, I will not be able to play international cricket again.

"I never anticipate announcing my retirement now but circumstances dictate differently.

"For now, I'd like to thank a huge number of people for their heartfelt support for the last 24 hours. I now head onto a road of uncertain recovery."

Boucher holds the record for the most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in the history of Test cricket with 555, a figure he accumulated in 147 matches for the Proteas.

He was hoping to reach a double milestone of 1,000 international dismissals in total and 150 Test matches during this summer's series against England.