Graeme Pollock and AB de Villiers were two of the names teen sensation Lhuan-dre Pretorius surpassed in a remarkable debut Test innings in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, yesterday.
Besides the historic achievement — becoming the seventh South African to make a hundred on debut and the youngest to do so — Pretorius’ sublime 153 also changed the course of the first day of the opening Test against Zimbabwe.
“It’s amazing. I opened my phone and there was a message from AB, saying, ‘well batted,’” Pretorius remarked afterwards.
In 211 minutes at the crease, the 19-year-old faced 160 balls, hitting 11 fours and four sixes, and also shared partnerships of 94 with fellow debutant Dewald Brevis, and then 108 for the seventh wicket with Corbin Bosch, who completed his maiden Test hundred in the last over of the day.
After losing four wickets in the first session, South Africa finished the day on 418/9.
Pollock was 19 years and 317 days old when he made a century against Australia in Sydney, a mark Pretorius — who, like Pollock, is a hard-hitting left-hander — beat by 224 days.
It was only his 11th first class innings, and he’s already made four centuries. When he made his debut last December for the Titans in Gqeberha, he made a hundred on that occasion, too, and his last FC century was in the final of domestic Four-Day competition, which helped the Titans secure a draw.
Those performances, coupled with the outstanding displays in last year’s under-19 World Cup, and this year’s SA20, led Proteas coach Shukri Conrad to describe Pretorius as a “special” talent in the build-up to this Test.
He arrived at the crease in the 15th over with his team’s innings in tatters. Tony de Zorzi, Matthew Breetzke and David Bedingham were all back in the changeroom, with the Proteas total on 22/3. At that stage, the World Test Championship celebrations seemed a long time ago and, instead, it was the Zimbabweans who were bouncing around.
“The ball was doing quite a bit when I came in; that situation when I got to the crease was quite tough. Blessing [Muzarabani] bowled really well, as did Tanaka [Chivanga],” said Pretorius.
A fourth wicket followed shortly before lunch, with Pretorius playing a part in running out Wiaan Mulder, but by that stage he had already asserted himself at the crease and put Zimbabwe on the defensive.
He smashed a six off his fourth delivery and followed it with a powerful drive through the covers for four. The momentum that it created, lifted the visiting team’s spirits at lunch.
In combination with Brevis, Pretorius quickly changed how the day would be viewed.
Brevis, who praised his mentor De Villiers for the role he played in helping his career in the last few years, wasn’t as relaxed as Pretorius when he started his innings, but some friendly bowling from Zimbabwe’s spinners allowed him to settle.
It’s amazing. I opened my phone and there was a message from AB, saying, ‘well batted’
— Lhuan-dre Pretorius
“We haven’t batted together for a long time, it was good. He is aggressive and takes a lot of pressure off you,” Pretorius said of Brevis, who scored 51.
The Proteas are resting seven players from the team that beat Australia at Lord’s two weeks ago, but what Pretorius and Brevis showed was that the depth of batting talent is solid.
The way they played during their partnership would also have sent a message to Tristan Stubbs — one of those given a break for the Zimbabwe tour — and Bedingham, who made a three-ball duck yesterday, that their places are far from guaranteed for the bigger series later this year in Pakistan and India.
Almost as impressive as his shot-making, was Pretorius’s mental approach. While he was aggressive for the most part, those periods when he needed to defend — especially against the excellent Muzarabani — saw Pretorius show patience and authority.
He also handled some controversial moments with steely resolve. On 30, he edged Chivanga to wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga, and despite a clearly audible noise on the stump mic, umpire Richard Illingworth was unmoved, much to the chagrin of the Zimbaweans.
The Decision Review System is not being used in the series because it is too expensive.
One of the fielders could clearly be heard telling Pretorius that he has “to walk for those”, but the teenager didn’t budge, and even shared his own thoughts on the matter with the opposition. “There was a bit of chirping going, but I like that, it keeps me focused and gets me in the fight,” he said.
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