Brian Lara deserves to keep the record: Wiaan Mulder reveals why he declared at 367 not out

South African stand-in skipper Wiaan Mulder, who scored the fifth-highest score in Test cricket and was on course to reach Brian Lara's world record 400 but declared at 367 not out, explained the rationale behind his shock decision in the second Test against Zimbabwe at at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.

Mulder broke several records and had a great opportunity to break Lara's milestone. Having gone into lunch with 367 runs off just 334 balls, he declared the innings with South Africa on 625/5.

Mulder cleared the confusion around the declaration saying that "legend" Lara deserves to keep the record for himself. The 27-year-old allrounder said that he did not regret the decision and said if found in the same moment, he wouldn't think twice before going down the same path.


"Brian Lara is a legend. For someone of that stature to keep that record is deserved. If I get the chance to do it again, I'd do it exactly the same way. I spoke to Shuks (head coach Shukri Conrad), and he felt the same way. Brian Lara is a legend, and he deserves to keep that record," Mulder said after the end of the day's play.

In a similar mark of respect, the then Australian captain Mark Taylor had smashed 334 runs in a Test match in 1998 against Pakistan but declared one run short of legendary Don Bradman's 335.

Mulder decimated the Zimbabwean bowling attack first four sessions of the match. He made Zimbabwe regret their decision to bowl after winning the toss by toying with their field.

The onslaught included 49 fours and four maximums, the second-highest boundaries count in a Test innings behind John Edrich's 57.

South Africa have turned the Test into a one-sided affair as off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen made inroads with his spells to return with figures of 4/42. The rest of the bowling unit chipped in as Zimbabwe bundled out on 170. The Proteas imposed a follow-on and the day ended with the hosts trailing by 405 runs after posting 51/1.