Lahore, October 11:

Pakistan made a strong start to their second innings on Thursday but still face an imposing

target to win the second Test against South Africa on the final day.

South Africa’s captain Graeme Smith and in-form Jacques Kallis hit patient centuries to help South Africa set up an improbable victory target of 457 runs for Pakistan.

Pakistan lost opener Salman Butt early, but then steadied through Kamran Akmal (49) and Younis Khan (48) to finish the fourth day at 108-1 — needing a further 349 runs on the last day to level the two-match series. No team has ever successfully chased so many runs

in Test history with West Indies holding the world record 418-run chase against Australia at Antigua in 2003.

Smith (133) got an overdue hundred and Kallis followed his two centuries in the first Test victory last week with an unbeaten 107 before South Africa declared its second innings at 305-4 at tea for an overall lead of 456 runs. Pakistan was shot out for 206 in its first innings in reply to South Africa’s 357.

Kallis and Smith shared a double century partnership (207 runs) and frustrated a depleted Pakistan bowling attack for five hours. It was a South African record for the third wicket against Pakistan.

Kallis hit seven boundaries in his 27th Test century, faced 242 balls and hit eight boundaries. He took his aggregate in the two-test series to 421 runs after scoring 155, 100 not out and 59 in his previous three knocks.

Kaneria (1-99) finally broke the partnership when Smith top-edged a sweep shot to substitute Yasir Hameed at point. Rehman (1-112) then clean bowled Ashwell Prince (11). Smith faced 296 balls, hitting 17 boundaries, to post his first Test century in two years just before lunch.

Resuming at the overnight 154-2, Smith and Kallis scored at a slow pace and added only 57 more runs in the first session before the acceleration came in a second session that yielded 94 runs.

Pakistan had to rely on its spinners after Mohammad Asif was ruled out from bowling in the match. Asif bowled just four overs on Wednesday afternoon before he was sidelined.