Boucher set to brighten up the Stars
Nelson Mandela Bay Stars as head coach when the T20 Global League starts in early November.
The 40-year-old, who had 999 dismissals behind the wicket for the Proteas, said he was thrilled when offered the position to coach the NMB Stars and that he is happy to be back in the Eastern Cape, albeit only for around two months of the year.
"I spoke to my parents the other day and they said well done for getting the job," said Boucher. "It's actually so nice to be back among Eastern Cape guys again. I am a Eastern Cape born and bred boy. I've always said that, I've never hidden away from that fact. I enjoy the fact that I'm an Eastern Cape boy and I've got guys on my coaching team here now who are exactly the same as me. So we think the same way. We've all played together before and know exactly where we want to go.
"I love being back here and I'm sure the crowds will get behind us like they usually do. There is a lot of history in this part of the world with regards to the game of cricket and hopefully we can just be a part of that continuous history and try have a really good season."
Boucher knows there will be expectation to win, not only from team owner Ajay Sethi, but also from stakeholders and fans in this region.
"Ultimately, people are going to judge us by our performances so there is pressure there. But we will play in same spirit as all those cricketers that come out of this area and that's good, hard and positive cricket and we'll show that fight that comes from this area as well, That's for sure."
He added that although the setups in Port Elizabeth and Centurion differ, there are some similarities in the way both areas play their cricket.
"I've always said that coaches come and go but the culture will always remain.
And that culture in the Titans is unbelievable. It's been a fantastic part of my journey to be part of theirs.
Yes, a great start to my career as a coach but I think that's largely to do with the culture and the players who come from that area as well.
"The Warriors and the Titans had two very close-fought finals last season, well not the second one, but the first one certainly was. That's why I say it's nice to be down here and coaching in this area. They are hardened cricketers down here. They might not always have guys that can match with the stats of the guys up north, but they certainly know how to put a team together and be very competitive on their day and that's something we hoping we can carry into this competition."
Boucher knows how important it will be to win their T20GL fixtures at St George's Park.
"In a competition like this if you can win most of your home games and try and pull a win away from home every now and then you shoul go far in the competition."