Wiaan Mulder, South Africa’s newly appointed captain, delivered a historic performance on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe, setting a new benchmark for a batter on captaincy debut.
Mulder’s unbeaten 264 surpassed New Zealand’s Graham Dowling’s 239, scored against India in Christchurch in 1968, to become the highest score by a captain in their first Test in charge.
The South Africa captain’s monumental innings also eclipsed Gary Kirsten’s 220, set in Harare in 2001, to become the highest individual score by a South African batter against Zimbabwe. His double-hundred, achieved in just 214 balls, ranks as the second-fastest by a South African, trailing only Herschelle Gibbs’ 211-ball effort against Pakistan in 2003.
The South African captain’s aggressive knock featured 34 fours and three sixes, surpassing Graeme Smith’s record of 35 fours in his career-best 277 in 2003 for the most boundaries in a single innings by a South African.
Mulder’s 264 not out also marked the highest runs scored by a South African in a single day’s play, overtaking Gibbs’ 228 against Pakistan in 2003.
Globally, his score is the sixth-highest in a day’s play, with Don Bradman’s 309 against England in 1930 leading the list. However, for an opening day of a Test, Mulder’s tally is second only to Bradman’s triple-century.
In a remarkable post-tea session, Wiaan Mulder plundered 131 runs, the seventh-highest by any batter in a single session and the most by a South African. His strike rate of 101.93 places his 264 among the rare 250-plus scores in Test cricket achieved at a strike rate exceeding 100.
South Africa’s total of 465 for 4 set a new national record for the most runs in a single day’s play, surpassing the 445 scored against Pakistan in Cape Town in 2003. A key highlight was Wiaan Mulder’s 217-run partnership with Lhuan-dre Pretorius for the fourth wicket, off just 185 balls.
This stand is the second-highest for South Africa’s fourth wicket away from home, falling narrowly short of the 219 by Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince at Sydney in 2006. Notably, it is the only 200-plus partnership in Test history with a run rate exceeding seven runs per over, based on available data since 1998.
Wiaan extraordinary debut has set a commanding tone for South Africa, leaving Zimbabwe reeling as the Test progresses.
