Wiaan Mulder Declares on 367, Calls Brian Lara a Legend – ‘That 400 Deserves to Stand Forever
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder declares on 367, choosing not to chase Brian Lara’s iconic 400 Test record. Calls Lara a ‘legend’ and says the milestone should remain untouched
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten 367 against Zimbabwe before declaring 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s Test record.
In his first match as the South Africa captain in place of the injured Keshav Maharaj, Mulder reached the stunning total – the highest by a player in his first Test innings as captain – just before lunch with the team on 626 for five. However, with Lara’s record in sight the captain declared.
Mulder had been bowled when on 247 but was saved by a no-ball as Tanaka Chivanga overstepped.
Mulder explained his decision to the former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock on Supersport. “I thought we had enough and we need to bowl,” he said. “Secondly, Brian Lara is a legend, let’s be real. He got 401, or whatever it was, against England. For someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special.
“I think if I get the chance again, I would probably do the same thing. Speaking to coach Shukri Conrad [Shuks], he kinda said to me as well: ‘Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores.’
“You never know what’s my fate, or what is destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”
Lara’s 400 not out came against England at St John’s in 2004. The feat, which has stood for 21 years, is one of sport’s great records, beating the previous record of 380, set by Australia’s Matthew Hayden in 2003, who himself had beaten Lara’s record of 375, set in 1994.
In June 1994 Lara also hit 501 for Warwickshire against Durham, which remains the highest first-class score of all time.
Mulder reached his triple century in just 297 balls, making it the second‑fastest 300 in Test history, behind Virender Sehwag’s famous 278-ball effort against South Africa in Chennai in 2008.
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South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder smashed an unbeaten 367 off just 334 balls in the second Test against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo, propelling his side to a gargantuan 626/5. His innings featured 49 fours and 4 sixes, earned him the second-fastest Test triple-century ever (297 balls) and confirmed it as South Africa’s highest individual Test score, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311*
With only 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s iconic 400*, Mulder could have chased history. Instead, he declared at lunch, citing two primary reasons:
- Team-first mindset: He and coach Shukri Conrad concluded that 626 was more than enough and that it was the right time to let their bowlers strike
Respecting a legend: Mulder emphasized that “Brian Lara is a legend,” and he believed the great man deserves to keep that prestigious record
He confidently stated: “I think if I get the chance again, I would probably do the same thing”
Ensured enough time remained to dismiss Zimbabwe twice, reinforcing Test priorities
Demonstrated captaincy maturity, putting the team’s triumph over personal glory — drawing praise from pundits and former players
Fifth-highest individual Test innings ever
Second-fastest triple-century in Test history (297 balls), behind Sehwag’s 278-ball 300
Highest-ever Test score by a debut captain ,
Highest Test score by a South African, breaking Amla’s 311*
Highest Test individual score in an away Test
Mulder’s gesture mirrored past acts of respect — most famously Mark Taylor’s equalizing declaration at 334* in 1998 to preserve Don Bradman’s legacy
Dale Steyn applauded but noted, “400 was deserved
Tabraiz Shamsi: “No man no no no… why the declaration
Lasith Malinga admired the knock but expressed regret he didn’t chase the record
Zimbabwe were skittled for 170, forced into the follow-on, and left trailing by 405 runs
Wiaan Mulder’s epic 367* will go down as one of the greatest Test innings — not for the record he missed, but for the values he embodied:
- 🎯 Strategic captaincy: prioritizing victories over personal milestones.
- 🌟 True sportsmanship: honoring legends and the spirit of the game.
- 🏆 Record-breaking brilliance: rewriting the books for South Africa and Test cricket history.
First things first, I thought we got enough and we need to bowl… Brian Lara is a legend… let the legends keep the really big scores.
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