South Africa stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder made the fifth-highest score in Test cricket – but opted to declare against Zimbabwe rather than chase Brian Lara’s record 400 not out.
Mulder was unbeaten on 367 at lunch in his side’s total of 626-5 in Bulawayo but invited the Zimbabwe openers out to bat after the break instead.
His surprising decision not to continue for the remaining 33 runs was immediately vindicated as Codi Yusuf had Takudzwanashe Kaitano caught behind off the first ball of the innings, and the hosts were soon reduced to 15-3.
It leaves Lara as the record holder and the only quadruple centurion in a Test innings, against England in Antigua in 2004.
Lara also made 375 against the same opposition and at the same venue a decade earlier. That record was beaten by Matthew Hayden’s 380 for Australia against Zimbabwe in 2003, only for Lara to reclaim top spot six months later.
Mahela Jayawardene made 374 for Sri Lanka against the Proteas in 2006, with Mulder passing Sir Garry Sobers’ 365 not out for the West Indies against Pakistan in 1958 for fifth place on the all-time list.
His innings was a South African record, comfortably surpassing Hashim Amla’s unbeaten 311 against England in 2012 which was their only previous triple century.
Mulder reached 300 from 297 balls – the second-fastest triple century in Test cricket, then reached 350 from 324 deliveries as part of an innings containing 49 fours and four sixes.
More to follow…
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