The Proteas finished day one on 418–9 thanks to Lhuan-dre Pretorius, who became the youngest South African to score a Test century on debut.
Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius announced himself on the world stage in emphatic style, becoming just the sixth South African to score a century on his Test debut – and the youngest to do so.
Coming in at 23/3, the 19-year-old smashed 153 runs off 160 balls to salvage a South African innings teetering on the brink of ruin on day one of the first Test against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Saturday.
Pretorius formed an attacking partnership with fellow debutant Dewald Brevis (51 off 41 balls). Together, they added 95 runs to stabilise the South Africans. Follwing the exit of Brevis and Verreynne (10), Pretorius formed a partnership of 108 with Corbin Bosch before he skied a pull shot and was caught off the bowling of Tanaka Chivanga.
Chivanga was by far the most successful bowler for Zimbabwe, finishing with four wickets for 83 runs. Still, another century from Bosch (100 not out) saw the South Africans finish on 418–9 to carry momentum into day two on Sunday.
Pretorius shines for Proteas
Zimbabwe had a perfect start, Chivanga taking the wickets of Tony de Zorzi (0), Matthew Breetze (13) and David Bedingham (0) while Wiaan Mulder (17) was run out to leave South Africa capitulating at 55–4.
In contrast to his senior teammates, Pretorius was cool and composed, middling just about every lusty blow as he struck 11 fours and four sixes. He maintained his strike rate by running ones, twos and threes between boundaries.
Credit must also go to Brevis for his half-century at a strike rate of 124. He targeted boundaries more than Pretorius, hitting three fours and four sixes to stun the Zimbabwe bowling attack.
This is South Africa’s first tour of Zimbabwe since 2014. While Zimbabwe had a breakthrough Test win over Bangladesh in April, it was just one Test win out of three in the last 10 years (others vs Afghanistan in 2021 and Bangladesh in 2018).
Zimbabwe have never beaten South Africa in a Test match.
