Online Reporter
IN the end, it was a mountain to climb for Zimbabwe after South Africa declared 626 for 5 on day 2 of their second test match at Queens Sports Club, in Bulawayo.
Sean Williams, who spent much of the first evening and the opening session on the sidelines due to an illness, came out swinging and raised his half-century off just 32 balls, the fastest by a Zimbabwean.
But he ran out of partners, and was the last man out for 83 as Zimbabwe were bundled out for 170.
Made to follow-on, Zimbabwe lost Dion Myers early, but Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Nick Welch batted a tricky last 30 minutes to take them to stumps on 51 for 1, with Zimbabwe still needing 146 to surpass just Mulder.
In many ways, this second test match has been a Wiaan Mulder show.
July 7, 2025, may not invoke the same grand feeling of that unforgettable summer afternoon at Lord’s last month, but it’ll still have a reverence of its own for Mulder, who only weeks earlier stood on the winner’s podium as a newly crowned World Test Champion.
One of cricket’s most iconic and celebrated records — Brian Lara’s majestic 400 not out, which he held like a crown jewel after reclaiming it from Matthew Hayden — was in real danger of being knocked off its perch after 22 long years.
When Mulder, South Africa’s stand-in captain, went into the lunch interval unbeaten on 367, it seemed a matter of time before history books would be rewritten. Then came a quiet message from the change room, like a bolt from the blue. South Africa had declared. Mulder had declared.
“Why did he do that?’ is a question that lingered on for much of the day as Zimbabwe collapsed in just 43 overs and were asked to follow-on.
With so much time left in the match, the decision will be rightly debated for a while. Barring Blessing Muzarabani, the quality of Zimbabwe’s attack was questioned by analysts.
For many, Mulder should have chased the record. The opportunity to etch yourself into Test history doesn’t come knocking everyday.
Mulder’s feat became all the more special as it came in front of his father who’d made the trip to soak in the occasion after he’d been informed of Mulder’s promotion into captaincy in the lead-up to the game — Keshav Maharaj had been ruled out due to an injury.
Along the way, Mulder may have cemented himself as South Africa’s new No. 3, a spot once occupied by legends he may have grown up watching, Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla among them.
The day’s big moment — Mulder’s triple – arrived in the 101st over when he clipped a low full toss off Tanaka Chivanga to fine leg to wild applause and cheer from his teammates on the balcony.
It had come off 297 balls, the second-fastest in Test history, behind Virender Sehwag’s that had come off 278 balls against South Africa in Chennai 17 years ago. After he got past the 300, there was carnage aplenty as Muzarabani was dispatched for three boundaries in an over, the third of those helping him surpass Amla.
There was more punishment in the next as Mulder cleared his front leg to wallop him out of the ground to enter the 360s. This is when everyone seemed to be readying for the moment, when the declaration came.
Mulder wasn’t done yet. He took out Wesley Madhevere and Ervine in quick succession.
Madhevere was out to a nip-backer that flattened the stumps; Ervine was felled by an effort ball that lifted off the deck to have him fend one into the hand of backward point.
Mulder’s fiery spell wasn’t the highlight though; debutant Prenelan Subrayen’s flight and loop and Senuran Muthusamy’s were equally noteworthy. Subrayen ended with 4 for 42. — Espncricinfo.com/Zimpapers Sports Hub
