367 not out: Why Proteas skipper didn’t chase Lara's record

Stand-in South Africa captain Wiaan Mulder was on the brink of achieving something incredibly special on Monday night (AEST).

Batting in the Proteas’ first innings of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo, Mulder smashed an utterly insane score of 367 not out from 334 balls, the fifth-highest score in Test cricket history.

Mulder reached his score at Lunch on Day 2, and with so much of the Test still ahead of him, there’s no doubt he could have made a play at beating Brian Lara’s score of 400 not out, which currently holds the record of the highest score in Test cricket history.

While the South African had every right to etch his name into the history books, as captain, he opted to declare, leaving himself 33 runs short of the record.

Even though many would have tried to hunt down the second quadruple-ton in Test history, Mulder wanted the West Indies great to continue holding the record whilst also putting his team first from a game situation point of view.

"First things first, I thought we'd got enough and we need to bowl,” Mulder told 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 declared South Africa’s first innings over at 5/626. Zimbabwe made just 170 in reply and were then made to follow-on, reaching 1/51 at Stumps on Day 2 in their second innings.

Highest individual Test scores

Brian Lara (WI) - 400 not out - v ENG, 2004
Matthew Hayden (AUS) - 380 - v ZIM, 2003
Brian Lara (WI) - 375 - v ENG, 1994
Mahela Jayawardene (SL) - 374 - v SA, 2006
Wiaan Mulder (SA) - 367 not out - v ZIM, 2025

Photo: Zimbabwe Cricket