BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe (AP) — Wiaan Mulder had a fitting end to a fabulous debut as captain, taking the last catch for South Africa to hand Zimbabwe its heaviest innings defeat in 20 years and sweep the two-test cricket series.
Mulder scored 367 not out — 33 shy of the world record held by West Indies great Brian Lara — before declaring South Africa's innings, and he also took three wickets and three catches to help his team win the second test by an innings and 236 runs.
Zimbabwe’s match total of 390 runs was just 23 more than Mulder made on his own. The World Test Championship winners have now won a South African record 10 consecutive tests.
Zimbabwe was dismissed for 170 in 43 overs in its first innings and, forced to follow-on, succumbed on 220 in 78 overs by Tuesday afternoon.
In the absence of the injured Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj, Mulder was a star as captain.
His 367 not out was the fifth-highest individual test score of all time, and propelled South Africa to 626-5 declared.
“It was super special (to be captain). It's something I had dreamt of as a kid,” Mulder told broadcaster SuperSport. “To captain your country is one of the biggest honors you can get as a cricketer. So it was a super proud moment for me and my family and I am glad I could make the guys proud."
Zimbabwe started Day 3 at 51-1 and lost two wickets in the morning, including Sean Williams, who tried to block Mulder and lost his off stump on 11.
Before lunch, Nick Welch achieved his third half-century in his fifth test but was out soon after the break for 55 to a slip catch by Mulder off slow left-armer Senuran Muthusamy.
Welch's wicket began a slow collapse of seven wickets for 67 runs in 28 overs, highlighted by captain Craig Ervine's 95-ball resistance for 49.
Corbin Bosch returned figures of 4-38, fellow pacer Codi Yusuf took 2-38 and Muthusamy had 3-77.
Zimbabwe's winless streak in Bulawayo was stretched to 22 tests, 17 of them losses, since 2001.
The series marked South Africa's first test tour in 11 years to its neighbor but the games were not counted in the World Test Championship as Zimbabwe was not in the WTC.
The South Africa squad is remaining in Zimbabwe for Twenty20 tri-series also involving New Zealand.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
FILE - South Africa's Wiaan Mulder trains before the start of play on day two of the World Test Championship final between South Africa and Australia at Lord's cricket ground in London, June 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, File)
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joey Porter Jr. spent Sunday afternoon milling around the Pittsburgh Steelers sideline in gray sweats.
When he finds his way into his black-and-gold No. 24 jersey remains anyone's guess.
While coach Mike McCarthy described the decision to make his team's best cornerback inactive ahead of a 20-13 season-opening victory over Atlanta as health related after Porter missed most of training camp with a back injury, Porter's teammates hinted his uncertain contract status played a factor.
“We want him here, and we want him to get paid,” linebacker Patrick Queen said. “You know, it’s a tough situation. I support him fully ... Whatever (the reason he didn’t play), we support him regardless.”
The 26-year-old Porter is entering the final season of his rookie deal and has spent recent weeks hoping to iron out an extension before the club's self-imposed Week 1 deadline.
The son of former NFL linebacker Joey Porter Sr. said recently he wasn't sure if he would play if the two sides couldn't reach an agreement, and McCarthy remained cagey on Porter's status ahead of the opener.
That brinksmanship may have carried over to the weekend, with the club deciding Porter wasn't ready to go after listing him as a “limited participant” in practice. He was given a “questionable” designation to play before missing the fourth game of his career.
“The business part of it, that’s not for me to speak on,” McCarthy said. “But yeah, we had a plan for him to go through ramp-up workouts through last week. And that’s really the timeline that we’re just hopefully coming to an end.”
McCarthy added Porter is scheduled to take more snaps in practice this week, opening the door for him to potentially play next Sunday in New England.
While Pittsburgh's defense held up just fine against Atlanta third-string quarterback Cooper Rush, his absence on the field was felt.
“You know, when he gets back to us, he’ll get back to us,” longtime defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “I feel like Joey’s still going to be a Pittsburgh Steeler long after this. And, hopefully they can just, you know, work that out.”
If they do, it won't be until the offseason at the earliest.
While the Steelers have re-signed several players from his draft class — including edge rusher Nick Herbig and tight end Darnell Washington — they have either been unwilling or unable to come to terms with Porter. The team has a long-standing tradition of not negotiating during the course of the season, meaning the two sides will have to wait until mid-January at the earliest to get something done.
Pittsburgh does have the option of placing the franchise tag on Porter for 2027 if it wants, a tactic it most recently used on former running back Le’Veon Bell in 2017 and 2018. Bell was an All-Pro in 2017 but opted to sit out the following season when the team placed the tag on him again.
The Steelers have largely avoided contract distractions. Porter said during minicamp in the spring that he expected to be paid like one of the top players at his position.
As spring turned to summer and camp began, he tweaked his back during a mobility test spent the majority of the preseason on the physically unable to perform list, though McCarthy said in August the club was at an “impasse” in negotiations with Porter.
That impasse will now carry over to the winter and perhaps longer.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
FILE - Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. reacts after a stop during the second half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Houston Texans, Jan. 12, 2026, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Justin Berl, File)
