South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder said it is “exactly the way it should be” for Brian Lara to hold on to his record for the highest individual score in a Test innings.
Mulder, leading the Proteas for the first time, declared on himself at lunch on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and finished with 367 not out.
He was 33 runs behind the 400 not out West Indies legend Lara made against England in Antigua in 2004.
The 27-year-old opted against a shot at one of Test cricket’s most iconic records, instead declaring South Africa’s first innings on 626-5 and said it was in the team’s best interests, but also to respect Lara’s legendary status in the game.
“First things first, I thought we’d got enough and we need to bowl,” Mulder told South African broadcaster SuperSport.
“And secondly Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He got 400 against England and for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special.
“If I get the chance again I’d probably do the same thing. I was speaking to our coach Shukri Conrad and he kind of said to me, ‘Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores’.
“And you never know what my fate or whatever you want to call it, or what’s destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”
Mulder instead ended with the fifth-highest individual score, and best by a South African.
Lara’s effort in Antigua 21 years ago was the second time he broke the record. He made 375, also against England, in 1994, before Australia’s Matthew Hayden passed that with 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003.
The other score ahead of Mulder is the 374 by Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in 2006.
Mulder is South Africa’s third different captain in as many Tests following injuries to Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj.
The all-rounder was batting at number three, a position he was only promoted to at the end of last year after much of his 21-Test career was spent in the lower-middle order.
This was only his third time reaching three figures in Test cricket, and followed a 147 in the second innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe were all out for 170 in response, and finished 51-1 at the close of play after Mulder enforced the follow-on.
