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South Africa Tighten Grip After Mulder’s 367* Masterclass and Subrayen’s Stunning Debu
Wiaan Mulder’s Record-Breaking Knock, Subrayen’s Four-Wicket Debut Put Proteas on Top
South Africa continued their commanding performance in the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, thanks to a marathon innings from Wiaan Mulder and a dream debut for Prenelan Subrayen. Declaring their innings at 626/5, the Proteas dismantled the Zimbabwean batting order and enforced the follow-on, closing Day 2 with a 405-run lead.
Mulder Inches Close to History with a Record-Breaking 367*
Proteas Star Becomes South Africa’s Highest Test Scorer
Resuming on 264 not out, Wiaan Mulder added another chapter to South African cricket history. Although he fell just 33 runs short of Brian Lara’s all-time Test record of 400,* his 367* now stands as the highest individual score in Test cricket by a South African, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311 against England in 2012*.
After a cautious start to the day, where he edged one through slips for his first boundary, Mulder settled into rhythm and capitalized on every Zimbabwean error. He was ruthless against short-pitched deliveries, regularly pulling and cutting with ease, especially off Blessing Muzarabani, whom he dispatched for multiple boundaries during his onslaught.
Also Read: Wiaan Mulder Falls Just Short of Brian Lara’s Record in Bulawayo Test
Mulder reached his triple century in just 297 balls, becoming the second-fastest in history to the mark after Virender Sehwag (278 balls vs South Africa, 2008). He overtook Amla’s mark by drilling a cover drive off Muzarabani and added more milestones as the innings progressed.
Verreynne Provides Steady Support
Although overshadowed by Mulder’s heroics, Kyle Verreynne played an important supporting role, scoring an unbeaten 42 in a 113-run sixth-wicket stand. His calm presence allowed Mulder to accelerate and push the total past 600.
Zimbabwe Collapse Despite Williams’ Heroics
Subrayen Stars on Debut; Zimbabwe Trail by 405 Runs
In response to South Africa’s mammoth total, Zimbabwe were bundled out for 170, with only Sean Williams offering resistance. His 83 off 55 balls*, laced with 7 boundaries and 2 sixes, was a lone warrior act as wickets tumbled at the other end.
South African debutant Prenelan Subrayen made an immediate impact, returning impressive figures of 4 for 42, extracting turn and bounce to rattle Zimbabwe’s middle order. Mulder added to his memorable day by grabbing two wickets, underlining his all-round brilliance.
Zimbabwe Fight Back in Second Innings But SA Dominate
Zimbabwe put up a slightly better fight in their second innings. Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Dion Myers offered initial resistance, but the latter was bowled by Corbin Bosch after a gritty stay. Kaitano remained unbeaten on 34, guiding Zimbabwe to 51/1 at stumps, still trailing by 405 runs.
Test Match Summary and Scorecard
Brief Scores:
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South Africa: 626/5 decl. (Wiaan Mulder 367*, David Bedingham 82; Tanaka Chivanga 2-112)
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Zimbabwe: 170 all out (Sean Williams 83*; Prenelan Subrayen 4-42)
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Zimbabwe (2nd Innings): 51/1 (Takudzwanashe Kaitano 34*)
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South Africa lead by 405 runs
Looking Ahead: SA Poised for Series Sweep
With Zimbabwe already one down in the series, the visitors appear poised for a 2-0 clean sweep. The combination of Mulder’s career-best knock, Subrayen’s dream debut, and South Africa’s aggressive intent with both bat and ball has left the hosts on the back foot.
Fans and analysts will be watching closely as Day 3 unfolds to see whether Zimbabwe can forge a miracle fightback or whether South Africa will wrap up another emphatic win.
To view the complete match schedule and live scores, visit the ESPNCricinfo match center.
