Wiaan Mulder living the dream at No 3 after his career-best 147 sets up the Proteas for big win

Proteas allrounder Wiaan Mulder is looking forward to an extended stay at No 3 after striking a career-best 147 in the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

There has been plenty of consternation about the 27-year-old occupying the crucial first-drop position, especially in the recent World Test Championship Final against Australia at Lord’s. 

Mulder had previously batted in the middle-order for both his domestic team, the Lions, and the Proteas, having scored his maiden Test century from No 7 last year against Bangladesh. 

However, the former St Stithians prodigy suffered a finger injury in the first Test against Sri Lanka last year, which forced Mulder to move up the order to No 3 as a stop-gap measure in the second innings. 

Never one to miss an opportunity, Proteas coach Shukri Conrad seized on the chance to bring in a seam-bowling allrounder - in the mould of the legendary Jacques Kallis - into the top six batting unit, and has run with Mulder there ever since. 

Conrad was further buoyed by Mulder’s application against the much-vaunted Australian attack in the second innings and Lord’s with his tactics reaping dividends at the Queens Sports Club. 

Mulder claimed 4/50 with the ball in Zimbabwe’s first innings to complement his century. 

“I think Shuks has had this view (batting at No 3) since I broke my finger that that's where our best balanced team or most balanced team is and I think the important thing is when the three big quicks come back, my role as a bowler gets a lot less or my responsibility as a bowler,” Mulder said. 

“To be honest, wherever I fit in in the South African team is where I want to play.

“It's been my dream as a kid, still my dream consistently to play for South Africa. For me, it's the pinnacle and that's what I'll try and do as long as I can. 

“And if that means batting at No 3, then I'm going to do my best to stay in the team and batting at 3. 

The adaptation to the top-order has certainly not been easy with Mulder admitting that he’s needed to apply himself more than previously. 

“I've worked really hard on my batting. I always have. 

“It's been in the test team, I've always had to kind of figure things out. I think Test cricket is incredibly hard. And there's no easy runs in Test cricket. So having more than one century for my country is really special, especially in Test cricket.

“I think we had to play well and we had to respect the good ball all the time. I'm really happy with how my mental processes went and to finally get down to No 3 is really special.

“I'm going to keep pushing, keep trying to be better and stay greedy.”

The Proteas require nine wickets in their bid to take a 1-0 lead in the series after Corbin Bosch struck in the final over on Monday. Zimbabwe require an improbable 505 runs for victory. 

“The important thing is that we're in a good position as a team. So my individual things are pretty cool. But in a week from now, everyone's going to forget about my 100 and it's whether South Africa won the Test match,” he said.