Mulder closes South Africa crushing Zimbabwe in heaviest innings defeat in 20 years

Associated Press

08-07-2025

BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP) — Wiaan Mulder suitably took the last catch for South Africa to hand Zimbabwe its heaviest innings defeat in 20 years and clean sweep their two-test series on Tuesday.
The recently crowned world test champion Proteas won the second test by an innings and 236 runs inside three days at Queens Sports Club.
South Africa's winning streak was extended to a new record of 10 tests.
Zimbabwe was dismissed for 170 in 43 overs on Monday and, forced to follow on, delayed the inevitable for 78 more overs before succumbing on 220 on Tuesday afternoon.
Zimbabwe's match total of 390 runs was just 23 more than Mulder made on his own in his first test as South Africa captain.
His record-setting 367 not out, the all-time fifth highest individual score, propelled South Africa to 626-5 declared. In a dream game for the allrounder, he also took three wickets and three catches.
Zimbabwe started the day on 51-1 and lost two wickets in the morning, including the dangerous Sean Williams, who tried to block Mulder and lost his off stump on 11.
Before lunch, Nick Welch achieved his third 50 in his fifth test but was out soon after the break for 55 to a slip catch by Mulder off slow left-armer Senuran Muthusamy.
Welch's wicket began a slow collapse of seven wickets for 67 runs, highlighted by captain Craig Ervine's 95-ball resistance for 49.
Corbin Bosch took 4-38, Codi Yusuf 2-38 and Muthusamy 3-77.
Zimbabwe's winless streak in Bulawayo was run to 22 tests, 17 of them losses.
The series marked South Africa's first test tour in 11 years to its neighbor but the games were not counted in the World Test Championship as Zimbabwe was not in the WTC.
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