PAK vs SA: Veteran Fawad Alam Hits Patient Century To Put Pakistan In Charge

Fawad Alam gave further evidence of his considerable patience with a grafting century which helped Pakistan take a useful first-innings lead over South Africa on the second day of the first Test in Ka

Third Test century 
Shortly after tea, Fawad opened his shoulders to hit a flighted delivery from spinner Keshav Maharaj for a six over long-on which brought up his third Test century in just his eighth Test. 

He was finally caught at mid-wicket off Ngidi after batting for six minutes under six hours, hitting nine boundaries and two sixes.

Fawad's ton marked yet another remarkable milestone in his return to international cricket.

After making a debut hundred in Sri Lanka in 2009, Fawad played just twice more that year before being dropped - for 10 years and 259 days. 

Despite scoring heavily in Pakistan's domestic matches, he was constantly overlooked, primarily because of his peculiar stance -facing front-on to the bowler before turning side-on when playing the ball.

He was recalled for Pakistan's tour of England in August last year but his first innings back ended with a four-ball duck in Southampton.

But he followed up with another gutsy century in the first Test defeat by New Zealand in Mount Maunganui in December.

Ashraf's entertaining 64, which included nine boundaries, ended in unorthodox fashion when he jammed down on a yorker from Anrich Nortje only to see the ball backspin into his stumps. 

The two-match series marks South Africa's first trip to Pakistan in 14 years after a deadly 2009 attack on Sri Lanka's team halted visits by foreign sides.