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In a remarkable display of sportsmanship, South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder declared the team's first innings at 626-5 during the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, finishing unbeaten on 367. The 27-year-old all-rounder was just 33 runs short of surpassing West Indies legend Brian Lara’s iconic 400 not out, the highest individual score in Test cricket history, set against England in 2004.
Mulder, leading South Africa for the first time due to injuries to regular captains Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, prioritised team strategy and respect for Lara’s legacy over chasing the record. Speaking to SuperSport, he said, “First, I thought we’d got enough and we need to bowl. Secondly, Brian Lara is a legend. For someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special.” He added that his coach, Shukri Conrad, encouraged him to let “legends keep the really big scores.” Mulder’s 367 not out is now the fifth-highest individual score in Test cricket and the highest by a South African, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311 not out from 2012. His triple-century, scored off 297 balls, was the second-fastest in Test history, only behind Virender Sehwag’s 278-ball effort in 2008. Mulder had a stroke of luck on day one when a no-ball reprieved him after being bowled on 247. Despite having nearly four days left to pursue Lara’s record, Mulder opted to declare at lunch on day two, enforcing the follow-on after Zimbabwe were bowled out for 170. At the close of play, Zimbabwe were 51-1 in their second innings. Mulder’s decision echoes a similar act of restraint by Australia’s Mark Taylor, who declared on 334 not out in 1998 to match Don Bradman’s record. Mulder’s score also places him among elite company, with only Lara (400* and 375), Matthew Hayden (380), and Mahela Jayawardene (374) ahead of him in Test cricket’s highest individual scores. This performance marks Mulder’s third Test century and follows his 147 in the first Test against Zimbabwe. Batting at number three, a role he only recently adopted, Mulder has cemented his place as a key figure in South Africa’s evolving Test side.
