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Boucher backs life bans for cheaters

Cape Town - Former Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher agreed that life bans should be given to cricketers who match-fix, dope or cheat.

Boucher retweeted and replied to former England batsman Kevin Pietersen on Twitter, agreeing with his statement that match-fixers should be barred from the sport completely.

Pietersen, writing for The Telegraph, called for anybody who is involved in fixing or doping, to be given life bans from cricket.

This came in response to Pakistan’s Mohammad Amir returning to the game following a six-year suspension, where he and two of his team-mates (Mohammad Asif and Salman Butt) were found guilty of spot-fixing against England at Lord’s in 2010.

Pietersen made some profound statements in the article, saying “to bowl a no ball for £50 000 to earn more money is just greed.”

"Amir is one of many that has been caught and there are probably plenty of others who have got away with it and are still playing the sport," said Pietersen.

Boucher simply replied to Pietersen’s tweet saying, “Good article @KP24! Honest opinion that I fully agree with!

This isn't the first time that the former wicketkeeper-batsman has spoken openly about match-fixing.

In his autobiography, Through My Eyes, Boucher talked about the infamous Hansie Cronje match-fixing situation saying that Cronje was caught and justifiably served his lifetime ban.

In 2012, Boucher was forced to announce his retirement after a bail struck his eye, resulting in a career-ending injury.

He played 147 Tests for South Africa and completed a world record 555 Test dismissals.

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