The Dubai International Cricket Stadium was near empty for Mitchell Marsh and Stephen O'Keefe's first day on the job as Test cricketers and Pakistan's batsmen did little to draw many more through the turnstiles.

Australia, however, know they are in a contest against an inexperienced adversary being shown the way by former captain Younis Khan, who batted for close to five-and-a-half hours in the energy-sapping conditions to make a resilient 106.

Despite not having played a first-class match in 10 weeks, the 36-year-old overcame a shaky start to register his 25th Test century, lifting his side from a precarious 2-7 to 4-219 at stumps on the first day.

In doing so, he became the first Pakistan player to score a century against every Test nation and only the 12th in world cricket.

As disappointed as Australia will be not to turn their brilliant start into a position of dominance, other than a life Chris Rogers gave to Azhar Ali on 22, there was not much more they could have done on a pitch offering little pace to the quicks and little turn until late in the day for spin duo Nathan Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe.

O'Keefe is still searching for his maiden Test victim and while he did not seem out of place at the highest level, he did not create much discomfort for the Pakistan batsmen.

The second innings will provide a better opportunity for selectors to gauge his Test credentials.

Nathan Lyon was also wicketless but bowled a fuller length with his last spell near stumps and managed to get a few to bite off the dry surface to show he will be a handful later in the game.

Twice he came within millimetres of removing Shafiq with deliveries that spun sharply into the right-hander's pads.

Johnson, however, was Australia's trump card, despite the pitch keeping with Clarke's pre-game prediction that it would not play like any surface at home.

After the ball lost its shine, it was not uncommon for Clarke to deploy a floating slip for the quicks and have men in catching positions in front of the wicket.

Johnson, used predominantly in short bursts, claimed three wickets, including the prized scalp of Younis.

His miserly 3-22 from 20 overs was indicative of the control he exerted – a trait he has only exhibited in the past 12 months of his career.

Johnson was at his most threatening with the new ball. He had Mohammad Hafeez trapped plumb in front for a second-ball duck with a 144 km/h thunderbolt that cannoned into the batsman's front foot.

Perhaps it was the shock of wearing a sandshoe crusher, but Hafeez then frittered away a referral with a frivolous review that confirmed Marais Erasmus was right to give him out lbw to a ball that was on track to crash into the base of middle stump.

After reducing Pakistan to 2-7, the Australians were then made to wait until the final 20 minutes before tea to strike again thanks to a 108-run stand between Younis and Ali.

Their partnership was broken by Johnson, who enticed Ali, on 53, into playing a rash drive that was caught by Alex Doolan at cover.

Johnson also struck with the second new ball, swinging one back into Younis, who failed to have the lbw verdict overturned.

Younis had been troubled by Johnson early and was struck on his upper arm after failing to get under a bouncer.

Peter Siddle's efforts could not be faulted either. Dropped after his speed waned in South Africa, Siddle hit the low 140s and was rewarded with the wicket of fifth-gamer Ahmed Shehzad.

The opener had shuffled across his crease, leaving his leg stump exposed for Siddle to find with one that jagged back sharply off the pitch.

Marsh, though wicketless from nine overs, came tantalisingly close to his first Test wicket when Younis, on 11, shouldered arms to a ball that only marginally cleared the top of off stump.