By Tim Douglas 
18-year-old Lhuan-dre Pretorius announced his arrival in style during his SA20 debut, smashing a commanding 97 off just 51 balls, to lead the Paarl Royals to a dominating nine-wicket victory over Sunrisers Eastern Cape at Boland Park on Saturday.
Still awaiting his Matric results, Pretorius showcased a brilliant display of power-hitting, forming a formidable 132-run opening stand with Joe Root, who played the anchor role with an unbeaten 62 off 44 balls. Pretorius’ aggressive batting, featuring 10 boundaries and six sixes, was the highlight of the match. His innings set the stage for the Royals’ comfortable chase of 175/5 set by the Sunrisers.
Pretorius benefitted greatly from the steady presence of former England captain Joe Root, who played a composed innings, guiding the team home after Pretorius was dismissed LBW by Marco Jansen. Root’s consistency and calm approach were pivotal in securing the Royals’ victory, handing the defending champions their second consecutive loss.
The Sunrisers, led by Aiden Markram, initially looked strong with a total of 175/5, thanks to Markram’s splendid 82 off 49 balls. Markram’s knock, laced with his signature square drives and powerful straight shots, came in a crucial 102-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs, setting a competitive total.
However, the Royals’ bowling attack, led by teenage fast bowler Kwena Maphaka (2/35) and Mujeeb-ur-Rahman (2/27), proved too strong, especially in the final overs, where Maphaka dismissed both Markram and Jansen to restrict the Sunrisers.
With this victory, the Royals move confidently to their next fixture against MI Cape Town at Newlands, while the Sunrisers will look to bounce back when they face Pretoria Capitals at Centurion.