Lhuan-dre Pretorius: Teen star smashes debut Test century for South Africa

At just 19 years and 93 days, Lhuan-dre Pretorius announced his arrival in international cricket with a stunning century on Test debut against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo on Saturday. The left-handed reached his fifty off just 53 balls and went on to score a composed 112-ball ton, featuring seven fours and three sixes, helping South Africa recover from a shaky start.

His knock of 153, marked by fearless strokeplay, came after South Africa collapsed to 55 for four in the first session. Pretorius signalled his intent early, launching the fourth ball he faced for six down the ground. His aggressive counterattack steadied the innings and shifted momentum

Pretorius broke a 60-year-old record, becoming South Africa’s youngest Test half-centurion, surpassing the legendary Graeme Pollock, who was 19 years and 317 days old when he made fifty in 1964. He also erased Pollock’s record of being the youngest South African to score a century in Test cricket.

A talented left-hander and part-time wicketkeeper, Pretorius has been a standout in South Africa’s youth and domestic circuits. He rose through elite school cricket at St Stithians College before completing his schooling at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria. He shone at the 2024 U-19 World Cup as South Africa’s top run-scorer and made his first-class debut for the Titans the same year.

Pretorius has also impressed in white-ball formats. He was the sixth-highest run-scorer in the 2023–24 CSA T20 Knockout Challenge and made a sparkling T20 franchise debut for the Paarl Royals in January 2025, scoring 97 on debut.

Now, with a Test century under his belt, Pretorius has cemented his place as one of South Africa’s brightest young talents — and a potential cornerstone of their future batting lineup.