DAY 3: Dominant Proteas extend overall lead beyond 500

Wiaan Mulder struck his highest test score of 147 as South Africa eased to 332 for seven, an overall lead of 503 runs, at tea on the third day of the first test against Zimbabwe at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Monday.

Having gone into lunch on 185 for five, South Africa scored easy runs in the afternoon session against a depleted attack and a spreadeagled field.

Mulder and Kyle Verreynne took their sixth-wicket partnership to 104 in 131 balls before Mulder, just three short of the 150 mark, was caught on the midwicket boundary off part-time offspinner Wessly Madhevere. His superb ton, his second in tests, came in 206 balls and included 17 fours and two sixes.

Verreynne’s wicket fell at the same score, 259, when he pushed forward to Wellington Masakadza and was nicely taken at slip by Ervine to depart for 36.

The fall of wickets didn’t disturb South Africa’s momentum and Keshav Maharaj and first innings century-maker Corbin Bosch comfortably added 77 in 88 balls for the eighth wicket with Maharaj going into tea on 40 and Bosch 32.

There was little excitement in the afternoon cricket with Zimbabwe resigned to conceding runs. The hosts did miss one chance when Bosch was caught at slip by Ervine off the bowling of paceman Blessing Muzarabani who returned to bowl a few overs after earlier feeling unwell and not taking the field. Unfortunately for the lanky pace bowler, he had overstepped and Bosch was spared.

On the positive side for Zimbabwe, legspinner Vincent Masekesa was given the opportunity for an extended bowl and, apart from claiming the two wickets of Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Dewald Brevis, he bowled with much greater control to claim 2-117 in 23 overs.

ZIMBABWE: Brian Bennett, Takudzawanashe Kaitano, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (capt), Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tanaka Chivanga, Blessing Muzarabani

SOUTH AFRICA: Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka