Opener Tom Latham hit a maiden hundred but Pakistan still managed to secure a big lead in their bid to win the first Test against New Zealand in Abu Dhabi.

The left-handed opener scored 103 on Tuesday to defy the Pakistani bowlers as wickets fell from the other end with paceman Rahat Ali (4-22) and spinner Zulfiqar Babar (3-79) wrapping up New Zealand’s first innings at 262.

That gave Pakistan a big 304-run lead and despite their opponents falling 105 runs short of the follow-on mark, the hosts batted again and finished the third day at 0-15.

Mohammad Hafeez (five) and Azhar Ali (nine) were at the crease as Pakistan led by 319 runs with two days left to push for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Pakistan had declared their first innings at 3-566.

Pakistan’s regular opener Ahmed Shehzad was earlier ruled out of the remainder of the match and two Tests to follow after he suffered a skull fracture suffered from a missed bouncer on Monday.

Latham followed his father, Rod, to hit a Test hundred.

They became the third New Zealand pair of father-and-son, and the 11th overall, to score Test centuries.

Walter and Richard Hadlee and Ken and Hamish Rutherford had also done it for the Kiwis in the past.

Rod Latham hit his only century against Zimbabwe at Bulawayo in 1992.

“It was little bit of relief as in West Indies I had three half-centuries in a row,” Latham said.

“It was little bit disappointing not to kick on in. So it was nice to score a ton in the first innings and in the first Test.

“To achieve that milestone certainly I’m very proud.”

BJ Watling (42) and Ish Sodhi (25) furthered the fight after Latham’s dismissal through their ninth wicket stand of 43 runs but Yasir Shah bowled Sodhi and Babar had Watling leg-before to end the innings.

Babar, who took 16 wickets in the 2-0 rout of Australia last week, dismissed Brendon McCullum (18) with a sharp turner for a slip catch and then had Ross Taylor (nought) out in a similar fashion to derail the New Zealand innings.