Lhuan-dre Pretorious breaks 61-year-old record to become youngest South African centurion on debut

Bulawayo [Zimbabwe], June 28 (ANI): Young batter Lhuan-dre Pretorious became the youngest South African to score a Test century during the first Test against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Saturday, according to Wisden.

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The batter, aged 19 years and 93 days old, came to the crease with his new-look team at trouble against Zimbabwe with a scoreline of 3/23. The batter gave a sign of promising things to come, as he smashed a counter-attacking, unbeaten 128* in 141 balls, with seven fours and four sixes at the end of the first session. His strike rate was 90.78.

He also shared a 95-run fifth-wicket stand with another debutant Dewald Brevis, who scored an explosive 41-ball 51, with three fours and four sixes.

Lhuan went past South African great Graeme Pollock to become the youngest Proteas centurion. Back in 1964 against Australia, Pollock was 19 years, 317 days old when he scored a ton at Sydney.

Lhuan, who had a breakout SA20 for Paarl Royals this year with 397 runs in 12 matches with three fifties, made his debut in South African colours on the back of a brilliant Cricket South Africa (CSA) 4-Day Series Division 1, 2024/25, scoring 436 runs in five matches at an average of 72.66, with three centuries and a fifty. His best score was 120.

At the end of Tea, SA was 248/6, with Pretorious (128*) and Corbin Bosch (22*) unbeaten.

Teams:

South Africa (Playing XI): Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne(w), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj(c), Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Brian Bennett, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine(c), Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga(w), Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Blessing Muzarabani, Tanaka Chivanga. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)