• South Africa firmly tightened their grip in the second Test against Zimbabwe courtesy of Wiaan Mulder's blazing triple-century.

  • Mulder went past several milestones en route to the highest-ever score by a South African in Test cricket.

Fans erupt as Wiaan Mulder’s 367* and Prenelan Subrayen’s 4-fer put South Africa in command on Day 2 of second Test against Zimbabwe
South Africa finish Day 2 of second Test with complete domination (Image Source: X)

Table of Contents

South Africa firmly tightened their grip on the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, courtesy of a record-shattering 367 not out from Wiaan Mulder.

Wiaan Mulder’s batting brilliance put South Africa on top

Resuming the day on 264*, Mulder went past several milestones en route to the highest-ever score by a South African in Test cricket, surpassing Hashim Amla’s 311*. He reached his triple century off just 297 balls—making it the second-fastest in history—before launching into a flurry of strokes that took him to 367 by Lunch. Despite being just 34 runs short of Brian Lara’s all-time record, Mulder opted to declare the innings, prioritizing team dominance over personal milestones. South Africa ended their innings on a colossal 626/5.

Zimbabwe falter under scoreboard pressure

Faced with a mountain of runs, Zimbabwe’s response was underwhelming. They stumbled early and were eventually bundled out for just 170. Sean Williams, battling illness, was the lone fighter, smashing a counter-attacking 83* off 55 deliveries with seven fours and two sixes. However, the rest of the lineup failed to support him against a disciplined South African attack. Debutant spinner Prenelan Subrayen made an immediate impact, claiming four wickets, while Mulder added two more to his dream day with the ball.

Also READ: ZIM vs SA: Wiaan Mulder reveals why he didn’t break Brian Lara’s 400-run Test record

Hosts forced to follow-on; early setback in second innings

With a massive lead in hand, South Africa enforced the follow-on. Zimbabwe began their second innings with more determination, but the resistance was short-lived. The opening pair faced over nine overs before Dion Myers was castled by Corbin Bosch for 17. Takudzwanashe Kaitano managed to survive till the end of play, with Zimbabwe closing the day at 51/1, still 405 runs adrift and needing a miracle to avoid a crushing defeat.

From Mulder’s monumental knock to Subrayen’s dream debut, South Africa dominated all sessions of Day 2. Unless Zimbabwe produces something extraordinary on Day 3, the match is headed for a swift end. All eyes will be on whether South Africa can seal a comprehensive win or if the hosts can show some grit to stretch the contest further.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Also READ: From Brian Lara to Wiaan Mulder – Top 5 highest individual scores in Test cricket history

Subscribe to Cricket Times on YouTube to watch Exclusive Interviews, Podcasts, Daily News Updates & Explainers.

TAGS:

CATEGORY: Featured Test Twitter Reactions Wiaan Mulder

For latest cricket news and updates, subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter.

About the Author:
AKSHAT GAUR
Akshat is the Sr. Content Strategist at CricketTimes.com. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, Akshat has honed his skills over 6 years, working with various media outlets, publications, and organizations to deliver high-quality content that informs, educates, and entertains audiences. He is just another cricket fan who’s grown up watching the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Cricket runs in his veins. Cover drive is his favorite sight, and a ball meeting the middle of the bat is his favorite sound. You can write to him at akshat.gaur@crickettimes.com and follow him on Twitter, Facebook & Linkedin.