ZIM vs SA: Zimbabwe batter Bennett ruled out of South Africa Test with concussion

Zimbabwe opening batsman Brian Bennett was ruled out of the rest of the first Test against South Africa on Sunday after being diagnosed with mild concussion. Bennett, who scored 139 on his previous Test appearance against England in Nottingham last month, had scored 19 off 24 balls on the second day of the match when he attempted a hook against fast bowler Kwena Maphaka and was struck on the helmet.

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After lengthy treatment on the field the 21-year-old resumed batting and faced three more deliveries in the next over from Codi Yusuf before walking off the field.

Zimbabwe Cricket announced during the lunch break that Bennett had been ruled out of the match and in keeping with concussion protocols would be replaced by Prince Masvaure.

Lhuan-dre Pretorius creates history in first innings

Teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius hit a dazzling 153 on debut and transformed South Africa's fortunes on the first day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Saturday.

South Africa scored 418 for nine, a total which seemed unlikely when Pretorius arrived at the crease with his team in trouble at 23 for three. Fast bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosch, batting at number eight, made 100 not out, reaching his century in the last over of the day.

Pretorius, a solidly-built left-hander aged 19 years and 93 days, became the youngest South African to hit a Test century and the seventh from his country to make a hundred on Test debut.

Pretorius hit a six off the fourth ball he faced, from left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza, then smiled broadly at batting partner Wiaan Mulder. He hit another six and seven fours in reaching his century off 112 balls. He hit a total of four sixes and 11 fours off 160 deliveries before he was caught at mid-on off a top-edged pull against fast bowler Tanaka Chivanga.

Pretorius gave no chances but the Zimbabwean players seemed convinced that he had edged a ball from Chivanga to wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga when he was on 30. No decision review system is in place for the series.

Chivanga, who took the first three wickets while conceding only eight runs, took four for 83 despite seeming to struggle with a hamstring strain during the afternoon.

Chivanga and fellow fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who took two for 59, generated pace and bounce but they were the only specialist seamers in the team and Zimbabwe's four spin bowlers proved expensive.

"We knew they had only two seamers so we tried to take the spinners out of the attack," said Pretorius "It was doing quite a bit early in the morning and the situation when I came in was quite tough.

"Wiaan kept me quite calm and I just tried to enjoy the moment and play with a smile on my face."

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