Bulawayo, July 7 (IANS) South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder passed up the opportunity to break Brian Lara’s long-standing record of the highest score in Test cricket by declaring the innings despite being only 33 runs short of the historic achievement.

Mulder’s outing at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, ranks fifth in the all-time list of highest scores in a Test match, with Lara topping the board for his 400 not out against England at St. John’s in 2004. Australia’s Matthew Hayden and Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jaywardene are the other two batters on the list, with the former West Indies skipper’s 375 vs England occupying the third spot.

Mulder, 27, is captaining the Proteas for the first time in the second Test of the two-game series against Zimbabwe and was unbeaten at 367 when lunch was called. With South Africa having scored 626/5, the all-rounder decided to call curtains on their innings and did not go for a chance to enter the elusive 400-run club. His first-inning total is now the highest individual score by a South African in Test history.

Having come in at 24 for two on Day 1, Mulder showed immense composure on his debut captaincy stint. His partnerships defined the innings – 184 runs with David Bedingham and 217 runs off only 185 deliveries for the fourth wicket with Lhuan-dre Pretorius. It is the second-highest fourth-wicket stand for South Africa away from home.

At stumps on Sunday, he had already racked up 264 runs – the most by any South African in a single day of Test cricket and the second-most ever on an opening day globally. Resuming on Day 2, he wasted no time to bring up his triple hundred, joining Hashim Amla as the second South African to reach the mark in Tests. His 300 came off 297 balls, making it the second-fastest in Test history.

Mulder’s double-century off 214 deliveries had already placed him second on South Africa’s fastest double tons list behind Herschelle Gibbs. His triple-century now tops another chart: the highest individual score by a South African in Tests, surpassing Amla’s 311 not out.

Zimbabwe were dealt with early blows as Codi Yusuf claimed two early wickets and Corbin Bosch opened his tally to leave the hosts reeling at 18/3.

–IANS

aaa/bsk/