Pakistan were bowled out for 271 on the cusp of tea in the first Test at Perth Saturday to trail Australia by 216 runs as veteran spinner Nathan Lyon moved within one wicket of the 500-mark.

Lyon was the best of the bowlers with 3-66, but he will have to wait to reach a milestone that will put him in elite company alongside just seven other players.

Pakistan began on 132-2 after building a solid foundation in chasing the home side's first innings 487, but were no match for Australia's top-class attack.

Stoic opener Imam-ul-Haq resumed on 38 and nightwatchman Khurram Shahzad on seven following skipper Shan Masood's dismissal shortly before stumps on Friday.

Shahzad, on his debut, lasted just two balls before Pat Cummins took out his middle stump in the first over with a full and straight delivery.

That brought dangerman Babar Azam to the crease in his 50th Test, tentatively facing 13 balls before getting off the mark with a cover drive to the ropes off Cummins.

Biding his time against a seam attack finding bounce and speed on a pitch baked by the sun, he struck another in Cummins' next over to ensure the scoreboard ticked over.

At the other end, Haq continued chipping away and brought up a ninth Test 50, and his first in Australia, off a glacial 161 balls with a single off Lyon.

But the runs were hard to come by and when Mitchell Marsh was introduced, he immediately made an impact, removing Azam for 21, with the former captain getting an edge collected by wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

It sparked a mini-collapse, with Haq stumped for 62 when Lyon was brought back into the attack, charging down the wicket and missing in a lapse of concentration, with Carey whipping off the bails.

Sarfaraz Ahmed (3) lasted just six balls, no match to Mitchell Starc, whose swinging delivery sent the stumps flying.

Australia took the new ball soon after lunch and Josh Hazlewood produced a quality bouncer that Saud Shakeel tried to fend off but only succeeded in lobbing to David Warner at slip.

He departed for 28 and Faheem Ashraf followed for nine, caught low by Usman Khawaja at square leg off Cummins.

Lyon returned to take his 499th wicket, with another stumping from Carey accounting for Aamer Jamal before Travis Head's part-time spin took care of Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Pakistan have not won Test in Australia since 1995.