Justin Langer made a glorious 181 not out as Australia recovered from a top-order collapse to reach 357 for eight on the first day of the opening Test against Pakistan in Perth on Thursday.

Langer and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist put on 152 runs in 166 balls for the sixth wicket after the home side had slumped to 78 for five shortly after lunch.

Playing on his home ground, the diminutive opening batsman survived an early scare to hit 18 fours and three sixes, batting for six-and-a-half hours and facing 265 balls.

He was not totally satisfied, however.

"I can play a lot better than I did today," the 34-year-old Langer told reporters.

"I feel really good physically and I'm sure that's helping my game mentally as well.

"Particularly over the last few years my motivation isn't so much runs, it's just (about) getting better and better."

Langer is the leading scorer in Test cricket this year with 1,319 runs, including five centuries. It was the left-hander's second consecutive Test century and the 21st of his 83-match career.

Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal missed a difficult leg-side chance off Mohammad Sami when Langer was on 13.

Gilchrist was typically brutal, clubbing 10 boundaries in his 69 from 78 balls.

The morning had belonged to Pakistan, with their strike bowlers Shoaib Akhtar (four for 89) and Sami (two for 94) tearing through the world champions' formidable top order.

But Shoaib could not dislodge Langer. "He's the guy who can take the match away," Shoaib said. "In any situation he's very dangerous, very determined and likes to get stuck into it."

Inzamam-ul-Haq had put Australia in on a quick and bouncy WACA pitch and the fiery Shoaib trapped Matthew Hayden lbw for four in the third over with the total on six.

Captain Ricky Ponting made 25 in a 50-run partnership for the second wicket with Langer before he was bowled between bat and pad by Sami.

Sami struck again in his next over, having Damien Martyn caught behind for one and Shoaib took his second wicket in the final over before lunch, bowling Darren Lehmann for 12 after the left-hander had exposed his leg stump.

The only wicket to fall in the second session was that of Michael Clarke, caught at first slip by Inzamam off the bowling of Shoaib for one.

The hard-hitting Gilchrist added only five runs to his tea score of 64 before he was bowled by Abdul Razzaq off an inside edge.

His partnership with Langer echoed the pair's feat against Pakistan in Hobart five years ago when the Western Australia duo put on 238 for the sixth wicket to lead Australia to a dramatic four-wicket win.

Shane Warne fell to Razzaq for 12 before Langer added 80 for with Jason Gillespie. Shoaib, however, struck during the first over of the second new ball as Gillespie was caught behind for 24 at 333 for eight.

Scorecard:

Australia first innings
J.Langer not out 181
M.Hayden lbw b Shoaib Akhtar 4
R.Ponting b Mohammad Sami 25
D.Martyn c Kamran Akmal b Mohammad Sami 1
D.Lehmann b Shoaib Akhtar 12
M.Clarke c Inzamam-ul-Haq b Shoaib Akhtar 1
A.Gilchrist b Abdul Razzaq 69
S.Warne c Yousuf Youhana b Abdul Razzaq 12
J.Gillespie c Kamran Akmal b Shoaib Aktar 24
M.Kasprowicz not out 4
Extras (b-1 lb-10 w-3 nb-10) 24
Total (for eight wickets, 86 overs) 357
Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-56, 3-58, 4-71, 5-78, 6-230, 7-253, 8-333

To bat: G.McGrath

Bowling (to date): Shoaib Akhtar 20-1-89-4 (nb-1, w-1), Mohammad Sami 23-3-94-2 (nb-3), Mohammad Khalil 16-0-59-0 (nb-1, w-1), Abdul Razzaq 12-0-55-2 (nb-5, w-1), Danish Kaneria 15-2-49-0.

Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Mohammed Khalil, Shoaib Akhtar, Danish Kaneria.