BETWAY SA20 ROOKIES STOLK AND PRETORIUS GET THEIR SHOT AT THE BIG TIME

Betway SA20 Rookies Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius will continue their development in the Cricket SA T20 Challenge this month after receiving their first call-ups to the Titans senior squad this week.

After being signed up by the Pretoria Capitals and Paarl Royals respectively at the auction, Stolk and Pretorius were unfortunately not able to participate in SA20 Season 2 due to national team duty where they represented the SA U19 team in the ICC U19 Men’s World Cup held in South Africa.

The duo were, though, phenomenal at the top of the order for the Junior Proteas as they regularly delivered outstanding opening partnerships.

Following their exploits for SA Under-19, Steve Stolk and Lhuan-dre Pretorius have been named in the Titans' CSA T20 Challenge squad

Pretorius, who is a hard-hitting left-hander, finished as the leading run-scorer for the South Africa U19 team with 287 runs at an average of 57.4 and strike-rate of 94.09. The Royals Rookie struck three half-centuries in the tournament.

Stolk, meanwhile, caught the headlines when he smashed a sensational 13-ball half-century enroute to a 37-ball 86 against Scotland in Potchefstroom.

It was an amazing exhibition of power-hitting with Stolk clearing the JB Marks Oval fence on eight occasions along with seven further boundaries.

The Capitals Rookie ultimately finished with 228 runs at an average of 38 at an astonishing strike-rate of 141.61.

“Steve [Stolk] and Lhuan-dre [Pretorius] are the talk of the town at the moment after their performances at the Under 19 World Cup and their involvement with us in the T20 Challenge will definitely assist their development,” said Titans head coach and Paarl Royals bowling coach Mandla Mashimbyi.

The young duo will have plenty of opportunities to learn from experienced players such as Sunrisers Eastern Cape double-winning captain Aiden Markram along with Durban's Super Giants big-hitter Heinrich Klaasen and Paarl Royals duo Lungi Ngidi and Tabraiz Shamsi, who have all been included in a power-packed Titans squad.

MI Cape Town’s starlet Dewald Brevis, who lit up last year's CSA T20 Challenge with a record-breaking 162 from just 57 balls, is also part of the squad along with Joburg Super Kings 'finisher' Donovan Ferreira.

JSK bowling coach and T20 legend Albie Morkel has also been added to the Titans coaching staff for the upcoming competition.

FULL TITANS SQUAD

Sibonelo Makhanya (Joburg Super Kings), Rivaldo Moonsamy, Aiden Markram (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Donovan Ferreira (Joburg Super Kings), Neil Brand, Corbin Bosch (Pretoria Capitals), Junior Dala (Durban's Super Giants), Dayyaan Galiem (Joburg Super Kings), Lhuan-dre Pretorius (Paarl Royals), Lizaad Williams (Joburg Super Kings), Tabraiz Shamsi (Paarl Royals), Steve Stolk (Pretoria Capitals), Tladi Bokako, Ayabulela Gqamane (Sunrisers Eastern Cape), Aaron Phangiso (Joburg Super Kings), Heinrich Klaasen (Durban's Super Giants), Jack Lees, Matthew Boast (Pretoria Capitals), Dewald Brevis (MI Cape Town), Lungi Ngidi (Paarl Royals).