
South Africa's Mulder makes record score as new test captain
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.
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.
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CNA
an hour ago
- CNA
Mulder hits fifth highest test score but turns down chance to go for record
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.


CNA
18 hours ago
- CNA
England second-best to India, got toss wrong, says McCullum
BIRMINGHAM, England :England were second-best in all departments in a heavy test loss to India at Edgbaston after they misread the pitch and made the wrong decision at the toss, coach Brendon McCullum said after his team lost by 336 runs on Sunday. England opted to bowl first but the decision backfired as India, led by skipper Shubman Gill's 269, put 587 runs on the board and followed up with 427 in the second innings before they declared. In response, Ben Stokes's side were reduced to 84-5 in the first innings and 83-5 in the second, with the hosts always playing catch-up and leaving the middle order with too much work to do on a track good for batting on the first four days. "We ran second for five days, I thought India played exceptionally well. Shubman Gill was at an elite level and played brilliantly on this pitch. We weren't quite able to play how we wanted to on it and they thoroughly deserved to win," McCullum told the BBC. "As the game unfolded, we probably looked back on that toss and said did we miss an opportunity there and it's probably fair. We didn't expect that the wicket would play quite as it did and hence we probably got it slightly wrong. "But we did have them 200-5 and we weren't able to capitalise on that position. When you win the toss and bowl, you're not anticipating the opposition's going to score 580 and then from that point we're behind the game." England had sensed an opportunity to go 2-0 up in the series when India rested Jasprit Bumrah, the world's number one-ranked test bowler, to keep him fit for the third test at Lord's starting on Thursday. Akash Deep stepped up, however, to take 10 wickets in the match, including six in the second innings as he tore through the top order and picked up the crucial wicket of in-form Jamie Smith for 88. "I thought Akash Deep bowled outstandingly on that surface... He hit his length and was able to utilise the surface where he could. He was exceptional," McCullum said. "Bumrah will more than likely come back in for the next one so we've just got to make sure we're well planned and well prepared and ready for the next challenge.

Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
South Africa's Mulder makes record score as new test captain
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox 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. 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. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor 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. REUTERS