South Africa’s Mulder declares on 367 and says ‘legend’ Lara should keep Test record – The Guardian

Stand-in captain hits unbeaten score in Zimbabwe
Lara keeping record 401 ‘is the way it should be’
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten 367 against Zimbabwe before the stand-in captain remarkably declared 33 runs shy of Brian Lara’s Test record.
In his first match as South Africa captain in place of the injured Keshav Maharaj, all-rounder Mulder reached the stunning total – the highest by a player in his first Test innings as captain – as he arrived at lunch with the team on 626 for five.
But with Lara’s record in sight the captain declared. Mulder had been bowled when on 247 but was saved by a no-ball as Tanaka Chivanga overstepped.
Mulder explained his decision, speaking to former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock on Supersport. He said: “I thought we had enough and we need to bowl. Secondly, Brian Lara is a legend let’s be real. He got 401, or whatever it was, against England. For someone of that stature to keep that record is pretty special.
“I think if I get the chance again, I would probably do the same thing. Speaking to coach Shukri Conrad [Shuks], he kinda said to me as well: ‘Listen, let the legends keep the really big scores’.
“You never know what’s my fate, or what is destined for me, but I think Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be.”
Lara’s 400 not out came against England at St John’s in 2004. Lara’s feat, which has stood for 21 years, is one of sport’s great records, beating the previous record of 380, set by Australia’s Matthew Hayden in 2003, who himself had beaten Lara’s record of 375, set in 1994.
In June 1994 Lara also hit 501 for Warwickshire against Durham, which remains the highest first-class score of all time.
Mulder reached his triple century in just 297 balls, making it the second-fastest 300 in Test history, behind Virender Sehwag’s famous 278-ball effort against South Africa in Chennai in 2008.
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Mulder’s score also represents the highest by a South African, passing Hashim Amla’s 311 not out against England at the Oval in 2012.

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