Mulder stops short of Lara Test record before Zimbabwe collapse

eNCA

07-07-2025

Wiaan Mulder denied himself the chance of making a world record Test score before leading a dominant South Africa performance in the field on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Monday.
Zimbabwe were bowled out for 170 in their first innings and were forced to follow on, 456 runs behind, after Mulder, unbeaten on 367, declared South Africa's first innings during the lunch interval on 626 for five.
Mulder, captaining South Africa for the first time, was only 33 runs short of Brian Lara's world Test record of 400 not out when he declared.
Mulder took two wickets and held a catch at slip as Zimbabwe crumbled in reply.
Sean Williams, who was only allowed to bat after five wickets had fallen because of time spent off the field because of illness, slammed 83 not out off 55 balls in Zimbabwe's only innings of substance.
Earlier the 27-year-old Mulder, went past the previous highest South African individual score of 311 not out set by Hashim Amla against England at The Oval in London in 2012.
Resuming on 264 not out, Mulder became the second South African triple centurion, reaching the mark off 297 balls -– the second-fastest behind India's Virender Sehwag, who took 278 deliveries against South Africa in Chennai in 2007/08.
Mulder equalled Amla's record then went past it with successive boundaries off fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani.
Mulder faced 334 balls and hit 49 fours and four sixes off an increasingly dispirited and largely toothless Zimbabwe bowling attack.