Wiaan Mulder stood on the edge of history. With just 33 runs needed to eclipse Brian Lara’s world-record 400*, the South African stand-in captain did the unthinkable — he walked away.
At lunch on Day 2 in Bulawayo, with South Africa cruising at 629/5, Mulder declared. Not because he couldn’t push on. But because he didn’t want to.
Mulder’s unbeaten 367 is now the highest Test score by a South African, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311*. But it will also be remembered for the rare humility and sportsmanship that halted it.
I thought we had enough and we needed to bowl. I spoke to Shuks (coach Shukri Conrad), and he felt the same way.
There was also an unspoken understanding. The pitch was flat. The Zimbabwe attack toothless. Chasing a world record under those conditions might have felt hollow. And yet, what Mulder did achieve was monumental.
Having resumed Day 2 on 264, he calmly accumulated another 103 runs. Along the way, he forged a 113-run stand with Kyle Verreynne after losing Dewald Brevis for 72. The stadium — and his watching father — witnessed history as he ticked past Amla’s mark.
What’s going on between your ears is most important. There were so many negative thoughts after I got bowled off the no-ball last night. I just kept singing songs in my head and focused on my shoes.
That mental strength carried him through the morning, past several milestones — and past temptation. “Someone mentioned at breakfast that 277 is the highest score by a debutant captain. That became the first hurdle. I got past Hash’s score and only then realised I had got to 312.”
By the time he declared, he had batted for 114 overs, anchoring South Africa to a dominant position. In response, Zimbabwe folded for 170, with only Sean Williams offering resistance. His breezy 83 off 55 balls came too late to matter. Debutant spinner Prenelan Subrayen took 4 wickets, while Mulder and Codi Yusuf chipped in with two each.
Forced to follow on, Zimbabwe crawled to 51/1 by stumps. They still trail by 405 runs. The day, though, belonged entirely to Mulder.
Pretty special. To be honest, I have never even dreamt of getting a double hundred, let alone a triple. But most importantly, it’s put the team in a good position to win this Test.
Mulder’s first Test as captain may well end in victory. But it will be remembered for something far rarer: restraint. “When I started playing for South Africa, I was nowhere near good enough. Playing in England helped me understand what kind of batter I want to be. Lots of lessons. Today, there were so many thoughts, like ‘you’ve got enough.’ And we did.”
