Wiaan Mulder Prioritizes Brian Lara's Legacy Over Personal Milestone in Test Match

Mulder's Remarkable Innings and Decision to Declare

Bulawayo [Zimbabwe], July 7: Wiaan Mulder, the stand-in captain for South Africa, shared insights into his choice not to chase the legendary Brian Lara's record of 400 runs during the second Test against Zimbabwe on Monday.

Having already shattered several records, Mulder was just 33 runs shy of matching Lara's historic score, finishing the day unbeaten at 367 runs off 334 balls. Surprisingly, South Africa declared their innings at 626 for 5.

Addressing the decision to declare, Mulder expressed his respect for Lara, stating, "He is a legend, and it’s fitting for someone of his caliber to hold that record. I have no regrets about our decision. If I were in that position again, I would act the same way." He mentioned that head coach Shukri Conrad shared his sentiments.

Mulder's choice evoked memories for cricket enthusiasts, reminiscent of Mark Taylor's 334 runs in 1998 against Pakistan, where he also opted to declare before reaching a record-breaking score, honoring the legacy of Don Bradman.

In Bulawayo, Mulder excelled in the number three batting position, dismantling Zimbabwe's bowling attack throughout the match. His aggressive play left the hosts regretting their decision to bowl first after winning the toss.

His innings included an impressive 49 boundaries and four sixes, marking the second-highest number of boundaries in a Test innings, just behind John Edrich's record of 57. Mulder's score ranks as the fifth-highest in Test history, the best since Mahela Jayawardene's 374 in 2006.

South Africa dominated the match, with off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen taking 4 wickets for 42 runs, contributing to Zimbabwe's total of just 170 runs. The Proteas enforced a follow-on, ending the day with Zimbabwe trailing by 405 runs after they managed to score 51 for 1.