Bulawayo, July 7 (IANS) Wiaan Mulder etched his name into South African cricket folklore with a historic 300-plus knock in the second Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.

The 27-year-old all-rounder, captaining for the first time in the red-ball format in the absence of Keshav Maharaj, converted his unbeaten 264 from Day 1 into a magnificent triple century on Monday, having reached 367 not out by lunch which 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. He counter-attacked after early breakthroughs by Tanaka Chivanga and Wellington Masakadza, combining gritty defense with fluent strokeplay. His partnerships defined the innings – 184 runs with David Bedingham and added 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 then 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.

A captain’s knock in every sense, Mulder’s innings not only steadied the South African ship after a shaky start but also rewrote record books. South Africa reached 626/5 by lunch on Day 2 as Mulder nears Brian Lara’s elusive record of the highest score of 400 not out (against England at St John’s in 2004) in Test cricket.

–IANS

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