logo
South Africa's Mulder makes record score as new Test captain

South Africa's Mulder makes record score as new Test captain

South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten double century to set a record for a new Test skipper and help his side to a formidable 465 for four wickets on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Mulder made 264 not out, the highest score by a player in his first Test innings as captain, eclipsing Graham Dowling's 239 for New Zealand against India 56 years ago.
The 27-year-old all-rounder took over as skipper from the injured Keshav Maharaj and led from the front as the touring side thrashed the ball to all corners of the Queens Sports Club.
It was a second successive century for Mulder, who hit 147 in the second innings of South Africa's 328-run win in the first Test.
His century came up in 118 balls and his double ton in 214, the second fastest by a South African in Test cricket, and as the run rate increased he got to 250 off 243 balls including 35 boundaries.
South Africa, playing without many of the key players who helped them to win the World Test Championship final against Australia last month, were put into bat by Zimbabwe, who removed openers Tony de Zorzi (10) and debutant Lesogo Senokwane (3) cheaply in a positive start.
Gupta replaces Allardice as ICC chief executive
But Mulder, promoted up the order to number three since the Lord's final, and David Bedingham put on 184 runs for the third wicket before the latter was trapped lbw by Tanaka Chivanga for 82.
Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius was aggressive from the outset and scored 78 off 87 balls before top edging and being caught to end a 217-run partnership with Mulder.
After Pretorius was dismissed, Zimbabwe took the new ball and Mulder was bowled when on 247, only for a no ball to be called as Chivanga had overstepped.
Mulder will resume on Monday with Dewald Brevis, who is 15 not out, with Sunday's play halted by bad light just before the close.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

South Africa complete easy victory over Zimbabwe to win test series
South Africa complete easy victory over Zimbabwe to win test series

Business Recorder

time9 hours ago

  • Business Recorder

South Africa complete easy victory over Zimbabwe to win test series

BULAWAYO: South Africa completed an innings and 236-run victory over hosts Zimbabwe on the third day of the second Test on Tuesday to convincingly sweep the two-match series at Queens Sports Club. South Africa, who were put into bat and declared their first innings on 626-5, bowled Zimbabwe out for 220, having enforced the follow-on after skittling out the home side for 170 in their first innings. Zimbabwe were 51-1 in their second innings overnight and, although they added 92 runs in the morning session, they regularly lost wickets and were all out before tea. Seamer Corbin Bosch took 4-38 to clean up the tail, with three wickets for spinner Senuran Muthusamy. Takudzwanashe Kaitano (40), Nick Welch (55) and skipper Craig Ervine (49) offered resistance in a clash best remembered for the decision by South Africa stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder not to chase down the highest score in a Test innings. Mulder was 367 not out, 34 runs away from breaking Brian Lara's 21-year-old landmark of 400 for West Indies against England, when he decided to declare the innings at lunch on the second day. With one of cricket's significant milestones in his sights, and plenty of time left in the five-day contest, Mulder's decision not to attempt to break the record was met with astonishment. But the 27-year-old all-rounder, whose Test batting average before the match was 26.2, felt it would be inappropriate to dislodge one of the game's greats from the record books. 'Respecting the game is really important and Lara is one of the greatest ever to play the game and deserves to keep that record,' Mulder said at a press conference after play on Monday. His knock, however, was the fifth-highest score in a Test and a South Africa record. He also took three wickets and snagged three catches in the match. South Africa rested most of the team that won the World Test Championship against Australia at Lord's last month but still proved far too strong for their neighbours as they also won last week's first Test by 328 runs. They have now won 10 successive Test matches and next take on Pakistan away in October. Zimbabwe's next Test outing is a two-match series against New Zealand in Bulawayo that starts at the end of the month.

Williamson, Bracewell skip New Zealand's tour to Zimbabwe
Williamson, Bracewell skip New Zealand's tour to Zimbabwe

Business Recorder

time13 hours ago

  • Business Recorder

Williamson, Bracewell skip New Zealand's tour to Zimbabwe

Kane Williamson and Michael Bracewell will skip the upcoming two-test tour of Zimbabwe with the blessing of New Zealand Cricket, while paceman Ben Sears has been ruled out by a side injury. Rob Walter, who replaced Gary Stead as coach last month, named his first test squad on Tuesday, awarding a call-up to uncapped young fast bowler Matt Fisher and recalling experienced hands Ajaz Patel and Henry Nicholls. 'Kane and Michael were up front with New Zealand Cricket about their availability for this tour during the contracting process,' Walter said in a news release. 'While all test matches are hugely special and important, the fact these tests aren't part of the World Test Championship did influence the discussions on this occasion. 'We will obviously miss their talent and class, but it allows an opportunity to others and we're lucky to be able to call on the likes of Ajaz and Henry who are both proven performers at test level.' England coach McCullum says paceman Archer 'ready to go' against India All-rounder Bracewell has been allowed to miss the tour to play in The Hundred in England, while paceman Kyle Jamieson has elected to stay in New Zealand for the birth of his first child. Jamieson's absence offers potential opportunities for Fisher and Jacob Duffy, who has played short-format matches for New Zealand but is yet to win a test cap, in the two matches in Bulawayo in late July and early August. Team: Tom Latham (captain), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Will O'Rourke, Ajaz Patel, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Mitch Santner, Nathan Smith, Will Young

Mulder's monumental 367 puts SA in control
Mulder's monumental 367 puts SA in control

Express Tribune

timea day ago

  • Express Tribune

Mulder's monumental 367 puts SA in control

South Africa's stand-in skipper Wiaan Mulder raises his bat to acknowledge crowd cheers after scoring a record-breaking 367 not out against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo Test on Monday. PHOTO: Reuters South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder scored the fifth highest test score of 367 not out against Zimbabwe on Monday but then declared his side's innings despite being only 34 runs away from the record for the most runs in a Test innings. Mulder, leading the side for the first time as a depleted team take on their neighbours in a two-Test series at Bulawayo's Queens Sports Club, hit 53 boundaries (49 fours and four sixes) in his knock to see South Africa to 626-5 at lunch on the second day of the second test. With plenty of time still left in the Test, it was expected he would bat into the second session to chase down Brian Lara's 21-year-old record of 400 not out for the West Indies against England in Antigua but Mulder turned down the chance and declared at lunch, to put Zimbabwe into bat. The 27-year-old all-rounder had come in at No. 3 with South Africa on 24-2 after being put into bat on the opening day on Sunday and was 264 not out at the close as he rallied his side to finish the day on 465-4. He had a fortunate break when on 247 he was bowled, only for a no ball to be called as Tanaka Chivanga had overstepped. But the rest of Mulder's impressive innings was chanceless as he brought up his 300 in Monday's morning session, off 297 balls for the second fastest triple century in Test cricket. He then passed Hashim Amla's record test score for a South African of 311 not out against England at the Oval in 2012 and got to 350 in 324 balls before going to lunch 367 not out. It put him fifth in the all-time list, ahead of the likes of fellow triple centurions Gary Sobers and Donald Bradman, and behind Lara (400 not out and 375), Australian Matthew Hayden (380) and Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene, who hit 374 against South Africa in Colombo in 2006. Reuters Mulder's slow rise to stardom Mulder, 27, made his Test debut in February 2019 but did not score his first half-century until his 25th innings in his 15th match -- 54 against Bangladesh in Mirpur last October. Before that he had scored a total of 401 runs -- one more than Lara's single-innings record -- at an average of 17.43. Picked as an all-rounder, his bowling figures at that point were better than his returns with the bat, although they were not outstanding -- 25 wickets at an average of 25.00. The tide turned for Mulder after the half-century in Mirpur. He made 105 not out in his next innings in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram. Having mainly batted low in the order -- his first century was made at number seven -- Conrad chose him to fill the crucial number three batting position in the Test side. An outstanding schoolboy cricketer, Mulder captained South African Schools and South Africa Under-19s. He made his first-class debut for the Gauteng Lions at 18, taking seven wickets in an innings in his second match and making his maiden century a week later.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store