Abu Dhabi: AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis rescued South Africa with sparkling hundreds to guide them to 311/5 at close on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan on Saturday.
De Villiers was unbeaten on 120 for his 11th hundred while Kallis notched 105 for his 37th, as the duo added 179 runs for the fourth wicket after debutant paceman Tanveer Ahmed shook South Africa with three early wickets.
Mark Boucher was unbeaten on 26 at stumps.
Ahmed (4-67) had justified Pakistan captain Misbha-ul-Haq's decision to bowl first with South Africa tottering at 33 for 3 but Kallis and De Villiers thwarted any attempts in the next two sessions.
Kallis, 34, was more dominant during the restorative stand, hitting 12 boundaries and three towering sixes during his 147-ball knock before he played on to Ahmed in the first over after tea.
Kallis is behind India's Sachin Tendulkar (49) and Australia's Ricky Ponting (39) in the all-time Test century-makers list.
De Villiers, 26, ably supported his senior partner as Pakistan failed to get the duo in trouble.
De Villiers has so far hit eleven fours and a six during his attractive 231-ball knock.
In the morning, Ahmed struck three crucial blows in the morning session, removing Alviro Petersen (two) off the third ball of his Test career and then claiming Hashim Amla (four) off his eighth and Graeme Smith (10) in his sixth over -- claiming three wickets off 28 balls.
The Kallis-De Villiers stand is a new record for the fourth wicket partnership against Pakistan, erasing the previous best of 119, involving Kallis and Amla at Centurion in 2007.
After Kallis was dismissed in the first over after tea, De Villiers added another 56 for the fifth wicket with Ashwell Prince (32).
Pakistan took the second new ball after 82 overs with the South African score 285-5, but De Villiers and Boucher remained firm.
Brief scores
South Africa 311 for 5 (de Villiers 119*, Kallis 105, Tanvir 4-67)