Zaahier Adams
When a teenage Wiaan Mulder was branded “the next Jacques Kallis” it was always going to be like an albatross around the 19-year-old’s neck.
Kallis, of course, was arguably the greatest all-round cricketer that has graced the game, amassing 25 534 runs, taking 577 wickets and pouching 338 catches across international formats.
That’s some record, and it was rather irresponsible for anyone to expect Mulder to live up to the hype, especially after he was handed a Test debut just two days after his 21st birthday.
Five years on and Mulder has certainly suffered from the weight of expectation, accumulating a further 14 caps sporadically, and never quite assured of his place in the national Test team.
Admittedly, his performances have not warranted a lengthy stay, but it required a clean break away during the past two South African winters for Mulder to discover his true self.
At Leicestershire, where Mulder plays in the English County Championship, he is simply the overseas professional paid to perform to the best of his ability. There are no comparisons to legends of a previous era. And this has helped Mulder reconnect with the game he certainly can play, but more importantly fall in love with it again.
The rewards on Mulder’s return to South Africa have been pronounced. The 26-year-old was excellent in the SA20 for Durban’s Super Giants in the second SA20 season and his provincial union, the Lions, but now, more importantly, he has transferred that renewed confidence to the Test arena, too.
“I am really happy for someone like Wiaan Mulder. He has been around the Test side without getting a regular spot.” – Shukri Conrad
An undefeated 41 in the first Test of the series against the West Indies was followed by another solid contribution of 34, along with match figures of 6-67 in Guyana that earned Mulder the Player-of-the-Match award in the second Test.
“I’ve tried to play as much cricket as I can. I’ve been in England (with Leicestershire) trying to get better consistently. They (the SA team management) indicated very clearly what they needed from me, and that is where I’ve tried to get better. They want me to score more runs, and hopefully that’s in the pipeline for me,” Mulder said.
“I haven’t played a Test in quite some time (despite) being in the squad. I just wanted an opportunity and thanks to Shuks (Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad) for continuing to believe in me. They said they would back me and I’m just really happy to get a chance.”
Winning is what we do! 🇿🇦
South Africa’s test series win yesterday was the 10th consecutive win against the West Indies! ✨
The Proteas made us so proud with an incredible team effort and clinical bowling when it mattered! 👏
Well done once again.#WozaNawe #BePartOfIt#SAvWI pic.twitter.com/bwniEGNyo3
Conrad has certainly backed Mulder since starting his Test coaching reign, having brought him back from the wilderness against the West Indies last year at home and now having the confidence to rest young fellow all-rounder Marco Jansen with the view of giving the Lions man an extended run.
“I am really happy for someone like Wiaan. He has been around the Test side without getting a regular spot,” Conrad said after the Proteas’ 1-0 series win.
“His performances haven’t always warranted him getting a good run, but at some stage you give someone a run and you back them, and you see where you are going to come out.
“We always knew that Wiaan had the ability. It’s great to see that he’s added a few yards with the ball. He was really good with the ball in this series and he played some vital knocks.
“He would be the first one to tell you that he would be disappointed that he did not go on to convert the start he got in the second innings. But that’s part of the process and it will give him plenty of confidence that he’s played an integral part in our success by winning the Player of the Match.”
Mulder’s journey has also been closely monitored by Test skipper Temba Bavuma ever since he entered the Lions dressing room at the Wanderers in his St Stithians school uniform all those years ago.
Bavuma, therefore, knows better than most what it means for the all-rounder to finally start making an impact at the highest level for the national team.
“I know I’m starting to sound like a fellow Lions player, but I am happy for the guy. We have seen the hard work he has put in throughout his career,” Bavuma said.
“He’s not had the success he would have liked, so that performance will give him a lot of confidence and maybe get some people behind him, to show him some faith, support and understanding about why the guy is in the team.”