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[PICTURE] Wiaan Mulder declares the Innings while being at 367* - A homage to Brian Lara or historical blunder?

How do you see Wiaan Mulder's declaration, while being at 367* ?

  • A historical blunder

    Votes: 22 57.9%

  • An attempt to gather praises from the cricketing world (Brian Lara respect angle)

    Votes: 8 21.1%

  • He knew they had enough runs on the board to win the game comfortably and didn’t care about the reco

    Votes: 8 21.1%
  • Total voters
    38
The Bald Eagle

The Bald Eagle

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Wiaan Mulder sent the shock waves around the cricketing world by playing a scintillating knock and that too with a mind boggling 109.88 strike rate. He was just a whisker's distance away from creating a new record and that too without causing any harm to his side. So what do you guys think does his move of declaration was a wise move, a failed homage attempt or a historical blunder.

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I say it is a historical blunder.

Should've gone for 400. Maybe more. It was only Day 2 Session 1. They could've easily batted till an hour after Tea and break all sorts of records.

These little things matter. These milestones help a team solidify their identity.
 

Mulder creates Proteas history with milestone triple hundred​

South Africa's Wiaan Mulder posted the fifth-highest individual score in Test cricket history - an unbeaten 367 off 334 deliveries in the second Test against Zimbabwe.

The total marked the highest ever for the Proteas in the longest format of the game. The monumental knock included a whooping 49 fours and four maximums.

The right-handed batter stands only behind Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden and Mahela Jayawardena among the highest individual scorers in Men's Tests.
 

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What he has done commande immense respect. He could have easely gone for the record, even 450, Maybe even 500.
But he did this Just out of respect for the great Brian Lara.

Not easy to do this, he would have his name cemented in the history of cricket.

Younger posters thinking it is a blunder don't surprise me.
 
Nah , it's more likely to prove that he is a dummy captain. No one with a right mind would chose to not go for glory which could remain with his name for next 50 years.
 
It's like once in a lifetime chance for him and he blew it... Nonsensical, even he can't explain it
Mobashir said:
What he has done commande immense respect. He could have easely gone for the record, even 450, Maybe even 500.
But he did this Just out of respect for the great Brian Lara.

Not easy to do this, he would have his name cemented in the history of cricket.

Younger posters thinking it is a blunder don't surprise me.
Click to expand...
 
Did he or any SA official mention anything about homage? I’m failing to understand why any sensible person would want to pay homage to the most selfish test knock ever.

There should be an option #3. He knew they had enough runs on the board to win the game comfortably and didn’t care about the record.
 
BreadPakoda said:
Did he or any SA official mention anything about homage? I’m failing to understand why any sensible person would want to pay homage to the most selfish test knock ever.

There should be an option #3. He knew they had enough runs on the board to win the game comfortably and didn’t care about the record.
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Thanks for suggestion, poll updated
 
Dumb declaration. Some players fail to achieve even a triple :sachin and this guy had a quadruple in his sight but gave it up.

It's definitely one of those things that he thought was cool and edgy at the time but regret it deeply in the future.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Dumb declaration. Some players fail to achieve even a triple :sachin and this guy had a quadruple in his sight but gave it up.

It's definitely one of those things that he thought was cool and edgy at the time but regret it deeply in the future.
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Like Zack Snyder's "DaRk DC uNiVeRsE"
 
I hope Joe Root can learn something from this.

Don’t ever break someone’s record unless you can do it better.
 
Bhaijaan said:
I hope Joe Root can learn something from this.

Don’t ever break someone’s record unless you can do it better.
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🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

What kind of logic is that. Mulder had he surpassed 400 would have gone on to easily win this game while lara's innings would be seen as selfish?
 
Did he mention he did it out of respect for Lara in an interview or something?

On the surface it was for the team and will be presented that way, I think he is secretly auditioning for a future long term captaincy role as well and this would have gone down well with the management; it could potentially be more of a politically driven move :rizwan
 
mominsaigol said:
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣.

What kind of logic is that. Mulder had he surpassed 400 would have gone on to easily win this game while lara's innings would be seen as selfish?
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He would have never been forgiven by the cricketing fraternity however.

Remember the Zimbabwean who shamelessly equalled Saeed Anwar’s 194* was never celebrated for the event
 
even if he broke Lara's record, I wouldn't be a credible record breaking innings imo. I mean Lara did it against England, twice....Jaywerdana did it against SA, Hayden did it against the minnow Zimbabwe.....no one holds Hayden innings that high
 
Stupid declaration. These days comes very rare and it's not like South Africa not winning if he go for 400. They will win this test by a day earlier.

:kp
 
Bhaijaan said:
He would have never been forgiven by the cricketing fraternity however.

Remember the Zimbabwean who shamelessly equalled Saeed Anwar’s 194* was never celebrated for the event
Click to expand...

Charles Coventry. He scored 194 in ODI. However, Zimbabwe lost that game.

I think Test knocks are far more prestigious than ODI knocks.
 
Rafale Nidhal said:
even if he broke Lara's record, I wouldn't be a credible record breaking innings imo. I mean Lara did it against England, twice....Jaywerdana did it against SA, Hayden did it against the minnow Zimbabwe.....no one holds Hayden innings that high
Click to expand...

He should've gone for it. Why waste an opportunity to cement his name and his country's name in history?

It was not like they didn't have time. They had lots of time. It was only Day 2 Session 1.
 
Mobashir said:
What he has done commande immense respect. He could have easely gone for the record, even 450, Maybe even 500.
But he did this Just out of respect for the great Brian Lara.

Not easy to do this, he would have his name cemented in the history of cricket.

Younger posters thinking it is a blunder don't surprise me.
Click to expand...
I Dont understand this respect business. So if Root closes down on Tendulkar's record and decides to retire few runs away out of respect, will you say the same?
 
DeadlyVenom said:
If Root falls short he can do a Mulder and claim he was paying homage to :sachin

He will become a big celebrity in India if he does this.
Click to expand...

He’s short anyway by many innings and in terms of batting average, test centuries scored.

But we would respect such a move.

That’s how you do.
 
Rajdeep said:
I Dont understand this respect business. So if Root closes down on Tendulkar's record and decides to retire few runs away out of respect, will you say the same?
Click to expand...
Jimmy Anderson was forced to retire and had warne record just few wickets away from him
 
Mobashir said:
What he has done commande immense respect. He could have easely gone for the record, even 450, Maybe even 500.
But he did this Just out of respect for the great Brian Lara.

Not easy to do this, he would have his name cemented in the history of cricket.

Younger posters thinking it is a blunder don't surprise me.
Click to expand...
He also seemed to show respect to Mahela and Hayden then by declaring at this point. Or declared at 394* to really show that the record was in his grasp.

Honestly, this seems like a psychological issue, self-sabotage to avoid potential failure and choking in the face of greatness.
 
He would have just created a needless records chasing race in world cricket had he done it against Zimboos. Afterwards every major nation would start playing minnows to beat this record and eventually Jamie Smith would have scored 500 against Pakistanis. That’s not real cricket however. We all know that
 
sweep_shot said:
He should've gone for it. Why waste an opportunity to cement his name and his country's name in history?

It was not like they didn't have time. They had lots of time. It was only Day 2 Session 1.
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I mean this is the same guy who his throw hit babar and babar was a mile away from the stumps
 
For those who don't know.

End of Day 2
Zimbabwe 170 all out and (51/1) Follow on....Trailing SA by 405 runs.
 
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
 
sweep_shot said:
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
Click to expand...
@RedwoodOriginal I was right...same stuff
 
sweep_shot said:
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
Click to expand...
What a stupid logic.
 
sweep_shot said:
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
Click to expand...

lol at this fake display of chivalry.

Mulder doesn't have that killer competitive gene. I suspect he won't go far in his career.
 
To be honest, that 400* by Lara has immortalised him. Anyone who breaks that record would make a dent to his legacy.

Unlike Sachin he doesn’t have collective record to fall back on.

Lara’s remembered for 375, 400, 501

Plain and simple

People never thought McGrath would be forgotten but when Anderson went past him, it did dent his legacy.
 
sweep_shot said:
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
Click to expand...
Stupid logic, he has undermined the opposition too. Kind of disrespect to Zimbabwe
 
Sky Sports podcast is live right now with Karthik, Hussain, Atherton and Shastri and all of them call this knock selfless. :unsure:

Shastri says it reminds him of Mark Taylor declaring on 334 not out in 1998 because he didn't want to pass Bradman. A lot of the aussie media has perpetuated this lie. Look at the youtube footage of this knock and you'll see Taylor trying to take a run to get to 335. That was the last ball in the session otherwise he would have gone on to break Bradman's record. :rolleyes:

Another mythbuster.
 
Mobashir said:
What he has done commande immense respect. He could have easely gone for the record, even 450, Maybe even 500.
But he did this Just out of respect for the great Brian Lara.

Not easy to do this, he would have his name cemented in the history of cricket.

Younger posters thinking it is a blunder don't surprise me.
Click to expand...
No one would remember his knock against Zimbabwe after 2 days. However if he had broken the record, his and his country's name would have forever been associated with the record.

All this talk of respect etc doesn't count for anything. People have very short memories
 
The Bald Eagle said:
Lol you guys are too hilarious....if EVER I mean EVER any Indian would have been in his position you guys would have bashed him blue and black.
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Imagine if Corey Anderson had stopped from Afridi's fastest 100 record. But he didn't and now he's in the records book. Known as the batter who broke Afridi's record. But of course it didn't lasted very long as somebody else (AB) broke his.

Just like that Mulder would've cemented his place in record books of Cricketing History. But he rejected it. If not today then tomorrow. Somebody will break Lara's record and Mulder will just be left wondering at the end of his career.
 
sweep_shot said:
Here was why Mulder declared:

"Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 or 401 or something against England and for someone to keep that record, it is special. I spoke to Shuks (Shukri Conrad) - and spoke about letting the legends keep (that record). Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be."

Source: Cricinfo.
Click to expand...
Spoke to a guy who never even played International Cricket. What a joke.
 
RexRex said:
Sky Sports podcast is live right now with Karthik, Hussain, Atherton and Shastri and all of them call this knock selfless. :unsure:

Shastri says it reminds him of Mark Taylor declaring on 334 not out in 1998 because he didn't want to pass Bradman. A lot of the aussie media has perpetuated this lie. Look at the youtube footage of this knock and you'll see Taylor trying to take a run to get to 335. That was the last ball in the session otherwise he would have gone on to break Bradman's record. :rolleyes:

Another mythbuster.
Click to expand...

Unlike us batsmen aren’t always aware of their score.

Michael Clarke also didn’t go for the record

It’s definitely a thing in Australian cricket
 
sweep_shot said:
Mulder wasted my 30 minutes. :inti

Had I known he would declare at 367, I wouldn't have bothered watching. I thought I was watching something historical.
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True the only reason I was following this game was to see the record finally be breached.

I don't get why Mulder didnt go for it? Its never easy to score a 400 regardless of pitch and opposition? Your concentration lapse + mental exhaustion eventually gets you.

He should have seen it as a historic moment, one where he could etch his name into the history books.
 
He still was some runs away from the record. It's quite cocky to say he declared for this reason. Any ball could have had his name on it. Nobody has divine right to score these runs to break the record.
 
mominsaigol said:
True the only reason I was following this game was to see the record finally be breached.

I don't get why Mulder didnt go for it? Its never easy to score a 400 regardless of pitch and opposition? Your concentration lapse + mental exhaustion eventually gets you.

He should have seen it as a historic moment, one where he could etch his name into the history books.
Click to expand...

Yup.

It was not like they didn't have time. They had lots of time. It was only Day 2 Session 1.

Very retarded declaration. I think SA board should drop him for this shortsightedness. :inti
 
RexRex said:
Sky Sports podcast is live right now with Karthik, Hussain, Atherton and Shastri and all of them call this knock selfless. :unsure:

Shastri says it reminds him of Mark Taylor declaring on 334 not out in 1998 because he didn't want to pass Bradman. A lot of the aussie media has perpetuated this lie. Look at the youtube footage of this knock and you'll see Taylor trying to take a run to get to 335. That was the last ball in the session otherwise he would have gone on to break Bradman's record. :rolleyes:

Another mythbuster.
Click to expand...
Very likely Mark taylor did not know of Bradman's record. Was told about it after end of day's play and that where he decided to declare

Like Gary Kirsten scored 188 not out against UAE in 1996 WC - just 1 short of Viv Richards' 189. That's bcoz he did not know of the world record score
 
The Bald Eagle said:
@RedwoodOriginal I was right...same stuff
Click to expand...
What a stupid thing to say. Mulder has lost alot of respect in my eyes as an athlete.

Not everyday you get a chance to etch your name in history, and be remembered forever. People are going to remember Lara regardless. Not because he scored 400 once, but because he's one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. Why is Mulder acting like Lara's legacy is in danger? or that people will forget who Lara is just because he doesn't have the highest individual test score anymore?
 
RedwoodOriginal said:
What a stupid thing to say. Mulder has lost alot of respect in my eyes as an athlete.

Not everyday you get a chance to etch your name in history, and be remembered forever. People are going to remember Lara regardless. Not because he scored 400 once, but because he's one of the greatest batsmen of all-time. Why is Mulder acting like Lara's legacy is in danger? or that people will forget who Lara is just because he doesn't have the highest individual test score anymore?
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His logic is so childish.

He behaved like a naive fanboy. He forgot he iwas playing as a professional cricketer and was captaining his country.

He has demonstrated he is not suitable for a leadership position.

A real captain would've ensured South Africa broke all records in this game (i.e., Mulder reaching 400 and SA surpassing their highest Test total which is 682).
 
Seen his interview..He didn't want to say that Zim are useless so 400 wouldn't count
 
Ridiculous declaration.

There was so much time unlike that Lara innings where he got selfish. South Africa could have easily batted another session.
 
Respect for the west Indian legend lara did not want to take over we are to obsessed with personal milestones that is why whete we are at the bottom of the pile.
 
Not a blunder at all

Think he would have went for if it was against a better team.

I remember when Hayden broke the record against Zimbabwe. It wasn't held in a high regard.
 
Lara for all his individual brilliance was a very selfish cricketer who put himself first always before his team. His team mates were very happy to see him go. The culture in gora teams like England, Australia, South Africa is team first and individualism second.
 
Immense respect for Wiaan Mulder for choosing not to chase the 400 run mark, leaving that iconic record untouched out of respect for Brian Lara. He clearly understood that surpassing it against a team like Zimbabwe wouldn’t have felt right. He still had the chance, but chose to declare instead, what a class act. Nothing but admiration for this great bloke. Wishing him continued success and many more centuries in the future.
 
Blunder tbh.. should've batted till all out.. get batting practice for everyone..
 
Lara's one was a selfish one, WI gained nothing from that knock..
 
Records are meant to be broken. I like that he respects legends, but that was a once in a lifetime opportunity he blew. Did lara care that he surpassed Sober's 365 effort twice? He didn't, because he wanted to script his own legacy.

I think there is definitely a part of him that regrets the decision.
 
And then we blame our paper tiger to be selfish. Who cares about 200, 300 or 400 runs. Its about winning games. The TEAM score was more then enough so they declared. I wish Pak players had this mindset!

I
 
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