Despite remaining unbeaten on 367 runs, South Africa’s stand-in captain declared the innings after just four sessions.
He was batting with ease, and it seemed only a matter of time before he broke the record for the highest individual Test score. But Viaan Mulder didn’t give himself that chance. To everyone’s surprise, he declared the innings at lunch break.
On Monday in Bulawayo, South Africa reached 626 for 5 wickets by the lunch interval on the second day. With 11 sessions remaining in the match, Mulder saw no need to continue batting.
This pace-bowling all-rounder had reached 350 runs off 324 balls before going into the break unbeaten on 367. In 148 years of Test history, only one other player had come this close to a 400-run innings. Yet, Mulder chose not to chase that milestone.
Thus, Brian Lara’s unbeaten 400 against England in 2004 remains intact.
Mulder’s unbeaten 367 from 334 balls, including 49 fours and 4 sixes, is the fifth highest individual Test score ever and the highest by any South African.
Only Mahela Jayawardene (374), Brian Lara (375), Matthew Hayden (380), and Lara again (400*) have scored more in a single innings.
Only one player has hit more fours in an innings than Mulder—John Edrich, who smashed 52 fours in his unbeaten 310 against New Zealand at Headingley in 1965.
Mulder was handed the captaincy unexpectedly in this Test. The regular captain Temba Bavuma was sidelined with injury during the Zimbabwe tour. Keshav Maharaj led the team in the first Test but also got injured, leaving Mulder to take over the leadership.
Before this, Mulder’s only official captaincy experience was leading Leicestershire in the quarterfinal of the Royal London One-Day Cup against Kent in England in 2022.
And now, he has marked himself with a remarkable innings that will be remembered as record-breaking.
