Left-handed opener Imran Farhat hit an imperious hundred as Pakistan dominated South Africa on the second day of the second and final Test at Iqbal stadium in Faisalabad, Pakistan, on Saturday.
At close the home team reached 237-2, just 41 runs behind South Africa who were dismissed earlier for 278 in their first innings.
Farhat was unbeaten on 123 and skipper Inzamam-ul Haq was on 16.
The South African team are down 1-0 in the two match series as Pakistan won the first Test at Lahore by eight wickets.
The 21-year-old Farhat hit exquisite cover drives and reached his maiden hundred in his sixth Test with a neat flick off Paul Adams for two after 283 minutes at bat. His century came in 179 balls with 14 boundaries.
In his unbeaten 123 Farhat stayed for 324 minutes and hit 17 boundaries to put Pakistan in sight of taking a match winning lead.
Farhat, with his opening partner Taufeeq Umer, hit 109 and 134 in the first Test in Lahore and the pair added 137 to become Pakistan’s only duo to record three century stands in successive innings of Test matches.
They joined an elite club, including England’s two sets of openers — Jack Hobbs and Herbert Sutcliffe, and Len Hutton and Cyril Washbrook — and the Australian pair of Mathew Hayden and Justin Langer, to compile three century stands in three successive Test innings.
The duo, both from Lahore, exploited the lack of firepower in the South African bowling attack.
Farhat, who scored 41 and 58 in the first Test, batted solidly to resurrect his career, which went into the wilderness after his two failures against Australia in Pakistan’s neutral venue series at Sharjah last year.
”It’s a dream come true and I am happy that it not only lifted my team but would go along way in furthering my career,” said a beaming Farhat, whose previous best of 63 came at Auckland in his first Test in March 2001.
His innings of 64 in a warm-up match against South Africa invited the selectors attention as the home team searched for a permanent set of openers.
”I want to make a permanent place in the team and hope this series would go a long way in resurrecting my career,” he said.
Umer, who made 111 and 63 in the first Test, hit eight boundaries and a six before he played straight to mid-wicket off left arm spinner Paul Adams.
His 68 came off in 195 minutes in 167 deliveries.
Pakistan were 158-1 at tea.
South African spearhead Shaun Pollock then removed Yasir Hameed in the fifth over after tea for 21 and could have had Pakistan captain Inzamam in the next for one but saw a dependable Jacques Kallis floor a left handed catch in the slip.
Inzamam, benefiting from the lapse, helped his junior partner to add 79 runs in an unbroken third wicket stand.
Earlier in the morning, the last South African pair stayed for 32 minutes to add 22 runs in their overnight 256-9 before leg-spinner Danish Kaneria removed Paul Adams for 14 to wrap up the innings.
Kaneria picked up 2-68 while pacer Shabbir Ahmed returned with 4-74.
Opener Herschelle Gibbs hit 98 to save the tourists’ blushes on the first day. — Sapa-AFP