Sky is the limit for Paarl Royals’ ‘bona-fide star’ Lhuan-dre Pretorius

Often when a young player produces a break-out performance, there are cautionary tales from elders in an attempt to limit expectations.

But none of this seems to apply to Paarl Royals’ starlet Lhuan-dre Pretorius.

The 18-year-old has everyone, ranging from England’s highest-ever T20 run-scorer Joe Root, former India T20 World Cup winner Dinesh Karthik and the most capped Proteas T20 International David Miller, all raving about him.

The trio have had the best seat in the house to assess the youngster due to playing alongside him at the Royals in this season’s SA20.

Pretorius entered the competition with a reputation as a bit of a schoolboy bully, due to his hulking frame.

But the powerful left-hander has now shown that he can mix it with the very best the game has to offer.

First up was the Sunrisers Eastern Cape, who boast the two leading wicket-takers, Marco Jansen and Ottniel Baartman, in SA20 history.

Pretorius dispatched them with ease during his debut knock of 97.

Up next was MI Cape Town’s New Zealand superstar Trent Boult at Newlands. The stewards are still looking for the ball in the Railway Stand after Pretorius clipped Boult for six with consummate ease.

Surely, though, Kagiso Rabada would teach the upstart a lesson? Rabada, fresh off a superlative performance against the Royals at Newlands, charged in and sent down a bouncer to Pretorius at Boland Park on Wednesday.

The youngster never flinched, and simply swivelled on to the back foot to pull Rabada to the square-leg fence for another boundary. It was one of eight fours and three sixes in a 52-ball 83.

“I’d seen him a bit, and I thought he’s a very special player,” Karthik said. “And the last three games, he’s shown exactly how good he is.

“It’s nice to have a start like this – the world looks at you, but this is when the journey starts.

“And it’s so good to see him adapt to conditions, understand the pitches and then play his shots in a very clever manner.

“I think the sky is the limit. I think South Africa have found a bona-fide star.”

Miller echoed Karthik’s sentiments about the youngster, who was more nervous about getting his matric results earlier this week than facing Boult, Rabada and Co.

“He’s a phenomenal talent... Really special to have him in the team,” Miller said.

“There’s been a lot of young players that have come through the years, and I just think he’s something very special. I haven’t seen a lot of young players play the way that he does.

✅ 97 runs on debut in Paarl
✅ 83 runs in second outing in Paarl

Lhuan-dre Pretorius has been a force in the #BetwaySA20 👇🔥#SummerOfCricket pic.twitter.com/V4PaA17OUt

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) January 15, 2025

“The free flow, the back flow... He plays very late, he plays short balls really well, plays spin well. And yeah, I mean, he’s actually a really good thinker about the game.

“So, it’s great to have him part of the set-up and obviously contributing and putting in match-winning performances for us. So, very, very lucky to have him.”

But how is the former Cornwall Hill College and St Stithians prodigy absorbing all this adulation?

“I’m absolutely loving my time here with the Royals,” Pretorius said.

“The coaches are backing me to play my normal game, which is aggressive. I have full licence to play.”

Pretorius and the Royals will be in action again on Saturday against the Pretoria Capitals at Centurion (1pm) – another happy hunting ground for this dynamic left-hander. | Independent Media Sport