South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder has explained the reasoning behind his selfless decision to declare the innings at 626/5 during the second Test against Zimbabwe, despite being within touching distance of Brian Lara’s iconic record for the highest individual score in an innings in Test cricket. Mulder remained unbeaten on 367 off 334 balls at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday. Lara’s unbeaten 400, scored against England in 2004, still stands as the highest individual Test score, and Mulder made it clear he had no regrets about putting his team’s needs ahead of personal milestones. “First things first, I thought we got enough and we need to bowl. And secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He got 401 or whatever it was against England. And for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special,” Mulder said after stumps on Day 2, as quoted by AFP.“I think if I get the chance again, I’d probably do the same thing. I know speaking to the head coach Shukri Conrad, he kind of said to me as well, like, listen, let the legends keep the really big scores,” he added.
Mulder’s 367* is now the highest individual score by a South African in Test cricket, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311, and also the highest in an away Test. He reached his triple century in just 297 balls, making it the second-fastest in Test history.
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Should Wiaan Mulder have pursued Brian Lara’s record instead of declaring the innings?
Despite the historic feat, Mulder made it clear that personal records weren’t the priority. “You never know what’s my fate or whatever you want to call it, what’s destined for me. But I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be,” he said.
