Bulawayo: South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder expressed his contentment with allowing Brian Lara to retain his record for the highest individual score in a Test innings, stating that it is “exactly the way it should be.” Mulder, captaining the Proteas for the first time, declared on himself at lunch on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe, finishing with an unbeaten 367.
According to BBC, Mulder was just 33 runs shy of the 400 not out achieved by West Indies legend Brian Lara against England in Antigua in 2004. Mulder remarked on his decision to declare, sharing a conversation with his coach, Shukri Conrad, who advised, “Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores.” Mulder acknowledged that Lara’s record should remain untouched, believing it is “exactly the way it should be.”
Mulder’s innings is now recorded as the fifth-highest individual score in Test history and the best by a South African. Lara’s 2004 effort was his second record-breaking innings, having initially set the record with 375 against England in 1994 before it was surpassed by Australia’s Matthew Hayden with 380 against Zimbabwe in 2003. The other score ahead of Mulder’s is Mahela Jayawardene’s 374 for Sri Lanka against South Africa in 2006.
Taking the role of South Africa’s third different captain in as many Tests due to injuries to Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, Mulder batted at number three. This promotion came late in the previous year after he spent much of his 21-Test career in the lower-middle order. His 367 not out was only his third three-figure score in Test cricket, following a 147 in the second innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe.
In response, Zimbabwe was all out for 170 and ended the day at 51-1 after Mulder enforced the follow-on. Mulder commenced day two on 264, leading South Africa’s overnight score of 465-4. On the first day, he was initially dismissed on 247 by Zimbabwe’s Tanaka Chivanga, only for replays to reveal a no-ball due to over-stepping.
Mulder’s triple-century is the second by a South African, following Hashim Amla’s 311 not out against England at The Oval in 2012. He reached 300 from 297 balls, the second-fastest in Test cricket after India’s Virender Sehwag’s 278-ball triple-century against South Africa in 2008. Despite having nearly four full days to potentially break Lara’s record, Mulder chose not to continue, possibly out of respect for Lara.
This decision mirrors former Australia captain Mark Taylor’s choice to declare on 334 not out against Pakistan in 1998, having equaled Don Bradman’s highest score by an Australian. Subsequently, Hayden broke that record five years later. Mulder’s innings marks the 33rd individual score exceeding 300 in Test cricket.
Mulder also turned down the chance to achieve only the 12th quadruple century in first-class cricket, with the highest first-class score also held by Lara at 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994. Interestingly, Mulder was present on the field for the last quadruple-century in first-class cricket, playing against Glamorgan’s Sam Northeast, who scored 410 not out in 2022.