Zimbabwe’s fast bowler Kundai Matigimu has been fined 15% of his match fee after throwing the ball at Proteas’ batter Lhuan-dre Pretorius in the second Test at Queen’s Sports Club in Bulawayo.
Matigimu, who was making his Test debut, was found guilty of inappropriate behaviour on the field after the incident transpired during the 72nd over of Proteas’ first innings. The throw struck Pretorius on the wrist at a dangerously close range.
On-field umpires Richard Illingworth and Jayaraman Madanagopal, third umpire Langton Rusere and fourth umpire Forster Mutizwa levelled the charge.
Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.
Matigimu admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, so there was no need for a formal hearing.
Pretorius was visibly hurt, but continued batting only to be dismissed a few overs later for 78 off 87 balls.
The teenager sustained a soft tissue injury to his right wrist and underwent X-rays, which fortunately revealed no fracture.
Pretorius did not field in the second innings with fellow teen Kwena Maphaka replacing him in the field.
He will travel with the squad to Harare for the upcoming T20I Tri-Series against hosts Zimbabwe and New Zealand.
The dynamic left-hander is one of four maiden T20I call-ups to the Proteas team, joining allrounder Corbin Bosch, batter Rubin Hermann and Dafabet Warriors spinner Senuran Muthusamy.
Both Pretorius and Hermann were among the breakout stars of the 2025 edition of the Betway SA20 for Paarl Royals.
