'Legend' Lara should keep Test record - Mulder

South Africa's Wiaan Mulder said it is "exactly the way it should be" for Brian Lara to hold on to his record for the highest individual score in a Test innings.

Mulder, leading the Proteas for the first time, declared on himself at lunch on day two of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo and finished with 367 not out.

He was 33 runs behind the 400 not out West Indies legend Lara made against England in Antigua in 2004.

The 27-year-old opted against a shot at one of Test cricket's most iconic records, instead declaring South Africa's first innings on 626-5 and said it was in the team's best interests, but also to respect Lara's legendary status in the game.

"First things first, I thought we'd got enough and we need to bowl," Mulder explained.

"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.

"I think 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 instead ended with the fifth-highest individual score, and best by a South African.

Lara's effort in Antigua 21 years ago was the second time he broke the record. He made 375, also against England, in 1994, before Australia's Matthew Hayden passed that with 380 against Zimbabwe in Perth in 2003.

The other score ahead of Mulder is the 374 by Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene against South Africa in 2006.

Mulder is South Africa's third different captain in as many Tests following injuries to Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj.

The all-rounder was batting at number three, a position he was only promoted to at the end of last year after much of his 21-Test career was spent in the lower-middle order.

This was only his third time reaching three figures in Test cricket, and followed a 147 in the second innings of the first Test against Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe were all out for 170 in response, and finished 51-1 at the close of play after Mulder enforced the follow-on.

Highest individual scores in Test cricket

400* - Brian Lara for West Indies v England, Antigua 2004

380 - Matthew Hayden for Australia v Zimbabwe, Perth 2003

375 - Brian Lara for West Indies v England, Antigua 1994

374 - Mahela Jayawardene for Sri Lanka v South Africa, Colombo 2006

367* - Wiaan Mulder for South Africa v Zimbabwe, Bulawayo 2025

Mulder began the day on 264 out of South Africa's overnight 465-4. On the opening day, he was bowled on 247 by Zimbabwe's Tanaka Chivanga, only for replays to show Chivanga had over-stepped for a no-ball.

His triple-century was only the second by a South African, after Hashim Amla's 311 not out against England at The Oval in 2012. Mulder reached 300 from 297 balls, the second-fastest in Test cricket after the 278 taken by India's Virender Sehwag against South Africa in 2008.

In reaching 367 at the interval and with almost four full days remaining in the Test, Mulder had enough time to attempt to break Lara's record without negatively impacting South Africa's chances of victory.

Yet he opted against batting on, possibly out of respect for the legendary Lara.

The move has echoes of then Australia captain Mark Taylor declaring on himself 334 not out against Pakistan in 1998, having equalled the great Don Bradman's highest score by an Australian. That record then went to Hayden five years later.

Overall, this was the 33rd individual scores in excess of 300 in Test cricket.

Mulder also passed up the opportunity to notch only the 12th quadruple century in first-class cricket.

The record for the highest first-class score is also held by Lara for his 501 not out for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.

Coincidentally, Mulder was on the field for the last quadruple-century in first-class cricket - he was in the Leicestershire side against whom Glamorgan's Sam Northeast amassed 410 not out in 2022.