Mulder's career-best ton puts SA on course for victory in Bulawayo

By the second hour of the third day in Bulawayo, the outlook had turned bleak for Zimbabwe. South Africa's third-wicket partnership between Wiaan Mulder and David Bedingham had grown to 72 at over five runs an over. Zimbabwe's spearhead, Blessing Muzarabani, was off the field due to illness. The field placements were defensive and the home side looked out of answers.

Then came a lucky breakthrough. Wellington Masakadza, brought back for the 33rd over, banged one in short to Bedingham, who should have dispatched it to the boundary. Instead, he mistimed the pull straight to midwicket and fell for a brisk 35. That dismissal triggered a slide, with South Africa losing 3 for 19 in five overs; the only passage of play in Zimbabwe's favour.

It was otherwise a day of South African dominance. Mulder, who had added 63 with Tony de Zorzi for the second wicket, had a partnership of 104 with Kyle Verreynne for the sixth. South Africa's No. 3 made a career-best 147 at a strike rate of 71.35 and put the match out of Zimbabwe's reach. They were set a target of 537, after South Africa were bowled out for 369 in their second innings, and ended the day at 32 for 1.

Mulder, who started the day patiently, lost his partner de Zorzi when the left-hander edged Tanaka Chivanga to second slip for 31. But each time the bowlers strayed in line or pitched too full, Mulder tried to drive to the boundary. Those occasional fours, and Bedingham's quick start, kept South Africa going. Mulder brought up his fifty with a huge six over midwicket off Masakadza in the 24th over, by which time South Africa's lead had passed 250.

Zimbabwe resorted to spin at that point for nine consecutive overs but couldn't prevent Mulder and Bedingham from scoring 44 runs in that phase. Bedingham's miscue eventually gave Zimbabwe a window, and Vincent Masekesa exploited the rough outside off to turn one sharply into first-innings centurion Lhuan-dre Pretorius, bowling him for 4. Masekesa struck again in the 38th over, dismissing Dewald Brevis for 3 when he attempted an ambitious hoick.

With South Africa 155 for 5, Mulder capitalised on the hittable balls. He drove, flicked and glanced for three boundaries in the next two overs, and reached his second Test hundred in the 43rd over with another boundary. By lunch, South Africa were ahead by 352.

Five overs into the second session, Mulder and Verreynne were scoring boundaries frequently as Masekesa and Chivanga lacked control. Zimbabwe's energy and confidence dropped; although their spinners were getting turn, the two well-set batters were untroubled.

The century partnership was eventually broken by a short ball, as Wessly Madhevere had Mulder caught at deep midwicket. Three balls later, Masakadza found just enough turn to induce Verreynne to edge to slip for 36. At 259 for 7 - just as when they were 155 for 5 - Zimbabwe hoped to end South Africa's innings quickly. But it wasn't to be.

South Africa's captain Keshav Maharaj and Corbin Bosch deepened Zimbabwe's woes, extending the lead beyond 425 with a quick 92-run stand. Maharaj began cautiously with three dots, but from the 61st over, the pair added 47 runs in eight overs.

With the lead nearly 500, Zimbabwe suffered another blow in the last over before tea. Muzarabani, eligible to bowl after making up for his time off the field, had Bosch caught at first slip off a no-ball. Maharaj got to a half-century off 64 balls in the 77th over, but in the next one, Masakadza bowled Bosch for 36 by turning one from the rough outside leg.

Masakadza had his fourth wicket soon after, removing Maharaj, who missed one after skipping down the pitch. Muzarabani then cleaned up Kwena Maphaka to finally bring Zimbabwe's ordeal to an end.

Set a daunting target of 537 and with stumps approaching, openers Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Prince Masvaure adopted a defensive approach. Only eight runs were scored in the first seven overs, as Codi Yusuf and Mulder bowled with discipline. When the final over of the day began, Zimbabwe had reached 32, and 15 of those runs were extras. The second ball of that over turned out to be the last of the day, as Kaitano edged Bosch to second slip, giving South Africa their first breakthrough in their pursuit of victory.