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DAY 1: Pretorius, Bosch hit maiden test tons to lead Proteas to 418

rugby28 June 2025 16:04| © MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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Lhuan-dre Pretorius and Corbin Bosch struck maiden test hundreds to enable South Africa to recover from 22 for three and 55 for four to reach 418 for nine at the end of an entertaining opening day’s play of the first test between Zimbabwe and the Proteas at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Saturday.

Pretorius, at 19 years 93 days, became the youngest South African to hit a ton on his test debut – and the seventh overall – while Bosch, in only his second test, reached three figures for his first test and first-class hundred. Among a number of achievements, Pretorius also became the youngest man to score 150 in tests.

After a morning session of struggle against some hostile pace bowling from Blessing Muzarabani and Tanaka Chivanga, South Africa built momentum in the afternoon and evening sessions to eventually reach a handsome first-innings total at the close with Bosch exactly 100 not out in the company of Kwena Maphaka.

Earlier, Chivanga sliced through the Proteas’ top-order in stunning fashion with three wickets in the morning session after caretaker captain Keshav Maharaj won the toss and chose to bat first under a cloudless sky.

Both Chivanga and fellow paceman Muzarabani got the new ball to lift sharply off a length in their opening spells. Muzarabani looked particularly dangerous in his first spell, conceding his first run in his fifth over.

Opener Tony de Zorzi was dropped at slip by Sean Williams off the fourth ball of Muzarabani’s opening over but Brian Bennett made amends when he held on to a low catch at third slip off Chivanga to send De Zorzi packing for a 16-ball duck in the sixth over.

Fellow opener Matthew Breetzke looked positive but was unable to control a defensive shot to a ball that spat off a length from Chivanga, with Bennett taking his second catch in the slips. And when David Bedingham edged a tentative defensive stroke to Zimbabwean skipper Craig Ervine at first slip to depart for a duck, South Africa had fallen to a perilous 23 for three in the 15th over.

PARTIAL RECOVERY

Wiaan Mulder, batting at three, was then joined by Pretorius and the pair began what turned out to be only a partial recovery with the hefty left-hander leading the way with a six and a four off consecutive deliveries from left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza, who did a fair holding job throughout the session. But, given the fresh conditions, it was a surprise that Zimbabwe only chose two seamers to go with two spinners.

Mulder and Pretorius looked set to see South Africa to lunch, but Mulder was superbly run out in the 23rd over when he pushed Muzarabani to the on-side and set off for a quick run. There was hesitation on his part, however, and the lanky fast bowler did well to pick up the ball, swivel and throw down the stumps at the bowler’s end with Mulder well out of his ground.

At lunch, Pretorius had reached a brisk 44 off 48 balls, including five fours and a six, with fellow-debutant Dewald Brevis on 10. Pretorius was largely responsible for the increase in the South African run-rate, although he may have been fortunate to escape when he seemed to get an inside edge to Chivanga. The vociferous appeal, however, did not impress umpire Richard Illingworth.

It was a different story after lunch, however, as Pretorius and Brevis launched an assault on Zimbabwe’s bowlers, adding 95 in 88 balls for the fifth wicket.

Part of the reason for this was that both batters plundered the erratic efforts of legspinner Vincent Masekesa, hitting him for 65 in seven overs, with Brevis particularly aggressive, smacking him for three sixes in one over. Masekesa didn’t exactly help his own cause, sprinkling his spell with a number of full-tosses and long-hops, enabling the South African batters to help themselves with little risk.

Nevertheless, Pretorius, who came to the crease on 23 for three, must be commended for his clinical performance, driving, cutting and pulling boundaries all around the field. Brevis was similarly aggressive albeit a little more vulnerable to rushes of blood to the head, and it was one of these that led to his downfall as he cue-ended a pull to Chivanga at mid-off off Mazarabani just after he had reached his 50. He struck three fours and four sixes in his 41-ball innings.

Kyle Verreynne helped Pretorius add 31 for the sixth wicket before he was well caught at slip by Zimbabwe’s captain, Craig Ervine, off the bowling of Wellington Masakadza, who did a reasonable holding job with his left-arm spin. Nevertheless, Zimbabwe lacked a third seamer to support Muzarabani and Chivanga, who represented the biggest challenge to the South African batters.

Bosch, who played a good supporting role, helped Pretorius maintain South Africa’s afternoon momentum as their partnership went past the 50 mark. An indication of the Proteas’ improvement was that they scored 158 runs in 31 overs in the afternoon at a rate of 5.1 runs to the over for the loss of only two wickets.

After reaching his century and helping South Africa to 248 for six at tea, Pretorius continued his assault in the final session as he and Bosch took their partnership to 108 off 136 balls on a pitch that had largely flattened out. The chunky left-hander had taken his score to 153 off 160 balls, including 11 fours and four sixes, when he attempted to hook Chivanga but failed to control the steep bounce and spliced his shot to mid-on. It was a magnificent effort from the youngster, who showed good discipline as well as aggression in his 160-ball innings.

After Pretorius’ departure, it was the turn of Bosch to take control, helped by useful contributions from Maharaj (21) and Codi Yusuf (27). He finally reached his hundred in the final over, striking 10 fours in the process.

It was a day of what might have been for Zimbabwe, but their two strike bowlers, Chivanga (4-83 in 16 overs) and Muzarabani (2-59 in 20 overs) didn’t receive sufficient backup with spinners Masakadza (1-109 in 30 overs) and particularly Masekesa (1-97 in 13 overs) unable to maintain pressure on the SA batters.

Pretorius was a delighted man after his record-breaking knock. “It was amazing. I was quite nervous at 23 for three, but it’s been a dream come true. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet. We knew they had only two seamers and we knew we could take the spinners out of the attack. To have my parents and family there just topped it off.”

ZIMBABWE: Brian Bennett, Takudzawanashe Kaitano, Nick Welch, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine (capt), Wessly Madhevere, Tafadzwa Tsiga (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Vincent Masekesa, Tanaka Chivanga, Blessing Muzarabani

SOUTH AFRICA: Matthew Breetzke, Tony de Zorzi, Wiaan Mulder, David Bedingham, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dewald Brevis, Kyle Verreynne (wk), Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka

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