Live Score
Cricket Teams
Cricket Players
Wiaan Mulder sacrifices 400; declares South Africa innings despite being on cusp of breaking Brian Lara's world record
South Africa's Wiaan Mulder declared the innings despite being on the cusp of breaking Brian Lara's world record. He remained unbeaten on 367 off 334 balls.
South Africa stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder was on the cusp of breaking Brian Lara's record of the highest-ever individual score in Test cricket. However, the Proteas skipper kept the team first as he declared the innings at 626/5. Wiaan Mulder in the end remained unbeaten on 367, and as a result, he has now entered the top five in the list of highest individual scores in Test cricket. Mulder was in some fine form in the first innings of the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday.
The right-handed batter, however, chose not to go after Brian Lara's long-standing record of scoring the most runs in a single Test innings. Brian Lara had previously played an unbeaten knock of 400 off 582 balls against England in 2004 at the St John's Stadium in Antigua.
When this happened, one thought this record would hold forever. Several came close, like Michael Clarke, David Warner, and Mahela Jayawardene, but no one was able to break the record.
However, Mulder now holds the record for the highest individual score by a South African batter, going past Hashim Amla's previous best of 311 against England in 2012.
The 27-year-old also smashed the second-fastest triple century in a Test after he brought up the feat of 297 balls against Zimbabwe. Virender Sehwag holds the record for the fastest triple hundred after he achieved the milestone off 278 balls against South Africa in Chennai.
Also Read: Travis Head 'broken' after WTC final loss, IPL teammate reveals chat with AUS star
Mulder is leading South Africa in the second Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe after Keshav Maharaj was ruled out. Cricket South Africa (CSA) have rested the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram.
World Test Championship (WTC)-winning captain Temba Bavuma was ruled out due to an injury sustained during the summit clash against Australia at the Lord's Cricket Ground.
Mulder re-writes history
For the entire duration of his knock, Mulder adopted an aggressive batting approach as he smashed the Zimbabwe bowlers all around the park. Be it pacers or spinners, no one was spared as the Proteas all-rounder showed no mercy.
His entire knock was studded with 49 fours and 4 sixes. Mulder had scored a century in the first Test of the series, and he also played a knock of 147 runs in the second innings.
Mulder now holds the record for the highest individual score by a batter in an away Test. Pakistan's Hanif Mohammed's score is the second-best, as he played a knock of 337 against the West Indies in 1958.
Mulder also has the highest aggregate by a South African batter in a Test, surpassing Graeme Smith’s 362 (277 and 85) against England at Edgbaston in 2003.
Mulder entered the Zimbabwe series with some pressure as he didn't get going with the bat against Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final which South Africa won at the Lord's Cricket Ground.
However, he has proven his critics wrong and in some style.
