In what has come as a major blow to Zimbabwe, 21-year-old opener Brian Bennett has been ruled out of the ongoing Test against South Africa in Bulawayo, after he suffered a concussion during his team鈥檚 first innings in the first Test of the two-match series.
Bennett scored 19 from 28 deliveries during his stay at the crease for the Chevrons before he walked off in the eighth over.
Bennett had been struck on his helmet while attempting to hook Kwena Maphaka in the sixth over. According to the concussion protocols, he will play no further role in the game.
Bennett has been replaced by veteran opener Prince Masvaure, who will make his 10th appearance in Tests.
Bennett had starred for Zimbabwe during their game against England in May, having scored a brilliant 139 in the first innings in Nottingham.
Meanwhile, teenager Lhuan-dre Pretorius hit a dazzling 153 on debut and transformed South Africa鈥檚 fortunes on the first day of the first Test against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Saturday, June 28.
South Africa scored 418/0, a total which seemed unlikely when Pretorius arrived at the crease with his team in trouble at 23/3.
Pace-bowling all-rounder Corbin Bosch, batting at number eight, made 100 not out, reaching his hundred in the last over of the day.
Pretorius, a southpaw aged 19 years and 93 days, became the youngest Protean to hit a Test hundred and the seventh from his nation to make a century on Test debut.
Pretorius smacked a six off the fourth delivery he faced, from left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza, then smiled at batting partner Wiaan Mulder.
Pretorius hit another six and seven boundaries in reaching his hundred off 112 deliveries. He smacked a total of four sixes and 11 boundaries off 160 balls before he was caught at mid-on off a top-edged pull against pacer Tanaka Chivanga.
Pretorius gave no opportunities, but the Zimbabwean cricketers seemed convinced that he had edged a ball from Chivanga to wicketkeeper Tafadzwa Tsiga when he was on 30.
Chivanga and fellow pacer Blessing Muzarabani, who took 2/59, generated pace and bounce, but they were the only specialist seamers in the side, and Zimbabwe鈥檚 four spin bowlers proved expensive.