Taufeeq Umar's fourth Test hundred (111) and a gritty 49 from debutant Asim Kamal on Saturday put Pakistan in a strong position on the second day of the first Test against South Africa.

Taufeeq's second successive hundred against South Africa and Kamal's innings from 119 balls took Pakistan to 275 for four just 45 runs short of the South African first innings total of 320.

Kamal, the eighth player to make his Test debut for Pakistan this home season, and Shoaib Malik (27) also saw off the second new ball taken at the total of 223 for four. They had completed an unbeaten stand of 52 runs at the close.

Taufeeq whose previous innings against South Africa was 135 at Cape Town in the second Test last January, was out after facing 247 balls and batting for 322 minutes, hitting 16 fours.

His innings laid the foundation for Pakistan's strong reply.

Taufeeq produced Pakistan's best opening stand of 109 runs against South Africa with Imran Farhat 41 and another 63 from 149 balls with Kamal, who survived a close leg before appeal on his first ball from Andre Nel.

Taufeeq has now scored 391 runs in five innings against South Africa at an average of 78.

He played with confidence and fluency in his comeback innings after being forced to miss the recent series against Bangladesh and the one-day rubber against South Africa with a knee injury.

When he was out after tea caught and bowled by spinner Paul Adams, skipper Graeme Smith immediately took the second new ball after 80 overs as he sorely missed a second spinner on a slow pitch.

Although he was very watchful in defence, Kamal played the best shot of the day, a nonchalent pull off Pollock to mid-wicket for a six.

South Africa had just one wicket before lunch when Adams bowled Farhat. After lunch Pollock, the best of the bowlers, had Yasir Hameed caught behind for 16 in his second spell and than stand-in skipper Yousuf Youhana fell in similar fashion off Andre Nel's bowling for eight.

Mark Boucher's two catches gave him 250 catches in his 66 Test matches. He also has nine stumpings.

Scoreboard:

South Africa first innings: 320 (M. Boucher 72, Kirsten 53; Shoaib Malik 4-42)

Pakistan innings:
Taufeeq Umar c and b Adams 111
Imran Farhat b Adams 41
Yasir Hameed c Boucher b Pollock 16
Yousuf Youhana c Boucher b Nel 8
Asim Kamal not out 49
Shoaib Malik not out 27

Extras: (lb-16 b-2 nb-4 w-1) 23

Total: (for four wickets, 95 overs) 275

Fall of wickets: 1-109, 2-151, 3-160, 4-223.

To bat: Moin Khan, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Mushtaq Ahmed, Danish Kaneria

Bowling: Pollock 17-5-42-1 (nb-3), Ntini 19-2-61-0 (nb-1), Adams 23-3-70-2, Nel 14-3-40-1, Kallis 14-2-30-0 (w-1), Smith 8-1-14-0.