By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@GalloImages.
Wiaan Mulder became the second South African to score a test triple century, with him unbeaten on 367 on day two of the second test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday.
Mulder is now being South Africa’s record individual run scorer in a test, passing Hashim Amla’s unbeaten 311 against England in 2012, while he now holds the fifth highest score in test match history.
The stand-in skipper is threatening to break one of the sport’s greatest records, Brian Lara’s 400 not out posted against England at St John’s in 2004.
After being sent into bat, Mulder sat 264 not out after the opening day of play. He had been bowled when on 247 but was saved by a no-ball as Tanaka Civanga overstepped.
Mulder then raced through the 300s including a six which was sent out of the ground at Bulawayo, before the break left his attempt at the record delicately poised, at 367* from 334 deliveries with 49 fours and four sixes.
South Africa was 626-5 at lunch after being sent in to bat, having won the opening Test of the series by 328 runs.
Already Mulder has posted the fifth-best score in Test history, behind Lara as well as Matthew Hayden (380 vs Zimbabwe in 2003), Lara again (375 vs England in 1994) and Mahela Jayawardene (374 vs South Africa in 2006).
The all-rounder made his Test debut in 2019 and only posted his first century against Bangladesh in 2024, before twin centuries against Zimbabwe in the opening Test of this series.
Coming into this match he had a career average of 26.20 across 20 matches and 33 innings.
We will now we will have to wait to see how many more records he will break before the Proteas inevitably declare.
Zimbabwe: Tanaka Chivanga, Craig Ervine, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Kundai Matigimu, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicolas Welch, Sean Williams.
South Africa: Lesego Senokwane, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Dewald Brevis, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kyle Verreynne, Senuran Muthusamy, Corbin Bosch, Codi Yusuf, Prenelan Subrayen.