Pretorius, 19, Smashes 61-Year-Old Record, Becomes Youngest South African Test Centurion on Debut

Lhuan-dre Pretorious Shatters Record, Becomes Youngest South African Test Centurion on Debut

Lhuan-dre Pretorious, a teenage batting prodigy, etched his name into South African cricket history on Saturday, achieving the milestone of becoming the youngest South African to score a Test century on debut.

The 19-year-old accomplished this feat during the first Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, surpassing a 61-year-old record previously held by the legendary Graeme Pollock.

Lhuan-dre Pretorious celebrates his record-breaking century.

Arriving at the crease with South Africa struggling at 23 for 3, Pretorious demonstrated remarkable composure and a fearless approach. By the end of the second session, he had struck an unbeaten 128 off just 141 deliveries. His innings, featuring seven fours and four sixes, was played at an impressive strike rate of 90.78, providing stability to a relatively new-look Proteas side that had faced early setbacks.

The young right-hander eclipsed Pollock’s long-standing record, which was set in 1964 when the iconic left-hander scored a century at 19 years and 317 days against Australia in Sydney. At just 19 years and 93 days, Pretorious now holds the title of the youngest centurion for South Africa in Test cricket.

He also forged a crucial 95-run partnership for the fifth wicket with fellow debutant Dewald Brevis, who contributed an explosive 51 off 41 balls, including three fours and four sixes.

Pretorious had been on the verge of national selection following an outstanding domestic season. During the 2024/25 CSA 4-Day Series, he amassed 436 runs in five matches at an average of 72.66, including three centuries. He also made a significant impact in the SA20 league earlier this year, scoring 397 runs in 12 matches for the Paarl Royals.

At tea, South Africa's score reached 248 for 6, with Pretorious (128) and Corbin Bosch (22) holding their ground.