Despite a cautious start, making nine from 45 deliveries at tea, Clarke cut loose after the interval, bringing up his 14th Test hundred 96 deliveries later as he tore New Zealand's bowlers to shreds, smashing 10 boundaries and two sixes.
Tamim looked as though he was going to score a Test century before the lunch interval, becoming only the fifth batsman to do so, after Australians Victor Trumper, Charles Macartney and Don Bradman, and Pakistan's Majid Khan.
Giteau's conversion made it 10-0 at the interval, James landing the hosts' first points on the resumption - and their first in 125 minutes of Test rugby - before giving way to Francois Steyn at fly-half after 55 minutes.