Mulder and the Selfless Spirit

The batsman captured the elusive spirit of the game when he focused on winning, declining to beat Lara's record, Craig Thrupp reports

- Craig Thrupp

Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten 367 during the second test between South Africa and Zimbabwe was exceptional for a myriad reasons. It is the highest score by a South African test batsman, the fifth-highest score of all time, the highest score by a debuting captain and the fastest 350 in history. Beyond these feats, he has demonstrated a desire to uphold the spirit of the game.

Mulder has a tremendous respect for cricket. This spirit of the game is a difficult concept to define. Most cricketers and fans can identify specific actions that seemingly embody it, but there are still disputes about controversial topics such as mankading a batter or walking after edging the ball. A key aspect of the spirit of the game is the need for cricketers to respect others and the traditional values of cricket.

Throughout the innings, it seemed as if Mulder was a man possessed. No other batter managed to score past 83, while Mulder batted like a video game character with the setting on easy. By the time lunch had arrived on day two, Mulder was on 367 and within touching distance of breaking Brian Lara's legendary world record score of 400. But, as lunch ended, the South Africans shocked the world, declaring their innings at 626/5, stranding Mulder on 367.