South Africa captain Wiaan Mulder had a very simple reason for declaring when he was 34 runs short of breaking Brian’s Lara’s iconic record of 400 runs: he felt he had no right to dislodge the West Indies’ legend’s mammoth feat.
“First things first. I thought we’d got enough and needed a bowl. And, secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He got 400 against England (in Antigua in 2004) and for someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special. I think if I get the chance again, I’d probably do the same thing,” Mulder said.
Mulder was 367 not out at lunch on the second day of the second test at the Queens Sports Club on Monday when he made the surprise call not to continue batting, passing up the opportunity to set a unique cricketing milestone.
The 27-year-old all-rounder, in his first stint as captain, said he also got support for his decision from coach Shukri Conrad.
“He said to me, ‘Let the legends keep the really big scores’. And you know, you never know what’s my fate or what’s destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”
Mulder did notch up the fifth highest test score and, on the list of triple centurions, now sits above the likes of Don Bradman and Gary Sobers.
He was only recently promoted up the South Africa order to fill the troublesome No. 3 position and before his triple hundred averaged only 26.20 in 33 test innings, with two previous tons.
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“To be honest with you, I’ve never even dreamed of getting a double hundred, never mind a triple hundred,” he said on Monday after lashing a mediocre home attack to all corners in an impressive knock made up of 53 boundaries.
“But it’s super special and the most important thing is putting the team in a good position to hopefully win this test,” Mulder added.
South Africa, who declared on 626-5, are in a commanding position with Zimbabwe trailing by 405 runs, having been forced to follow on after being dismissed for 170 in their reply, with Mulder taking two wickets to top off a day he will never forget.
(With agency inputs)
