South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder has described it as “exactly the way it should be” that Brian Lara still possesses his record for the highest individual score in a Test innings.
Mulder, standing in for an injured Faf du Plessis for the first time as captain, declared on himself at the interval on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and closed on 367 not out. He was 33 runs short of the 400 not out that West Indies great Lara scored against England at Antigua in 2004.
The 27-year-old turned down a chance at one of Test cricket’s greatest records, preferring to declare South Africa’s first innings on 626-5 and stated it was in the interests of the team, but also out of respect for Lara’s legendary status within the cricket fraternity.
“First things first, I thought we’d got enough and we need to bowl,” said Mulder to South African television network SuperSport. And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He made 400 against England, and for someone of that stature to hold that record is quite special.”.
“If I had the opportunity again, I’d do the same thing. I was having a chat with our coach, Shukri Conrad, and he sort of told me, ‘Listen, let the legends hold the massive scores. ‘
“And you never know what my destiny or whatever you like to call it, or what is meant for me, but I believe Brian Lara holding that record is precisely how it should be. Mulder then finished with the fifth-highest overall score, and best by a South African.
Lara’s performance in Antigua 21 years earlier had been the second such record-breaking score by him. He scored 375, again against England, in 1994, before Australia’s Matthew Hayden broke that with 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003.
The other score before Mulder is the 374 by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in 2006. Mulder is the third consecutive different captain for South Africa after Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj fell victim to injury.
The all-rounder had batted at number three, a position he only recently moved to at the close of last year after much of his 21-Test career was spent in the lower-middle order.
This was only his third time reaching three figures in Test cricket, and followed a 147 in the second innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe were all out for 170 in response, and finished 51-1 at the close of play after Mulder enforced the follow-on.
