Stats - Mulder only behind Bradman as SA rack up their highest total in a day
Stats highlights from Bulawayo, where South Africa and Wiaan Mulder broke a whole host of records
ESPNcricinfo staff
06-Jul-2025
Wiaan Mulder's double hundred came off 214 balls, the second-fastest for a South Africa batter • Zimbabwe Cricket
264* - South Africa captain Wiaan Mulder's score after the first day of the second Test against Zimbabwe, which is now the highest by a batter on captaincy debut. Mulder went past New Zealand's Graham Dowling, who had scored 239 in his first innings as captain, against India in Christchurch in 1968.
Mulder's knock is also the highest for a South Africa batter against Zimbabwe, leaving behind Gary Kirsten's 220 in Harare in 2001.
He completed his double-hundred in 214 deliveries, the second-fastest for a South Africa batter. Only Herschelle Gibbs has done it quicker, in 211 balls against Pakistan in 2003.
Mulder smashed 34 fours and three sixes, which is the most fours and sixes combined in an innings by a South Africa batter. Graeme Smith held this record, hitting 35 fours (but no sixes) during his career-best 277 in 2003.
The 264* is also the most runs a South Africa batter has scored in a day's play. Mulder went past Gibbs' 228 against Pakistan in 2003. Overall, Mulder stands sixth in this list, with Don Bradman on the top after scoring 309 in a single day against England in Leeds in 1930. But considering only the opening day of a Test, Mulder's 264* is the second-best, behind Bradman's triple.
During his innings, Mulder smashed 131 runs in the post-tea session, the seventh-highest by any batter in a session's play, and the highest by a South Africa batter.
Mulder's 264* came off just 259 balls, at a strike rate of 101.93. So far, it is among the five 250-plus individual scores to have come at a strike rate of over 100.
465 for 4 - South Africa's total was their highest in a day. Their previous highest was 445 in Cape Town against Pakistan in 2003, the same Test where Gibbs had amassed the fastest double-hundred for South Africa.
217 - Mulder added 217 runs off only 185 deliveries for the fourth wicket with Lhuan-dre Pretorius. It is the second-highest fourth-wicket stand for South Africa away from home. It fell just short of their highest away partnership for the fourth wicket of 219 by Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince at the SCG in 2006.
The stand between Mulder and Pretorius is also the only 200-plus stand in Tests with a run rate of over seven per over (complete data of balls in partnership available since 1998).