South Africa’s stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder scored an unbeaten double century to set a record for a new Test skipper and help his side to a formidable 465 for four wickets on the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Sunday.
Mulder made 264 not out, the highest score by a player in his first Test innings as captain, eclipsing Graham Dowling’s 239 for New Zealand against India 56 years ago.
The 27-year-old all-rounder took over as skipper from the injured Keshav Maharaj and led from the front as the touring side thrashed the ball to all corners of the Queens Sports Club.
It was a second successive century for Mulder, who hit 147 in the second innings of South Africa’s 328-run win in the first Test.
His century came up in 118 balls and his double ton in 214, the second fastest by a South African in Test cricket, and as the run rate increased he got to 250 off 243 balls including 35 boundaries.
South Africa, playing without many of the key players who helped them to win the World Test Championship final against Australia last month, were put into bat by Zimbabwe, who removed openers Tony de Zorzi (10) and debutant Lesogo Senokwane (3) cheaply in a positive start.
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But Mulder, promoted up the order to number three since the Lord’s final, and David Bedingham put on 184 runs for the third wicket before the latter was trapped lbw by Tanaka Chivanga for 82.
Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius was aggressive from the outset and scored 78 off 87 balls before top edging and being caught to end a 217-run partnership with Mulder.
After Pretorius was dismissed, Zimbabwe took the new ball and Mulder was bowled when on 247, only for a no ball to be called as Chivanga had overstepped.
Mulder will resume on Monday with Dewald Brevis, who is 15 not out, with Sunday’s play halted by bad light just before the close.
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