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Pakistan wasted a superb start created by Salman Butt's maiden Test century as Stuart MacGill led an Australian fightback on the first day in Sydney, reports BBC.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Butt and Yasir Hameed (58) shared an opening stand of 102.
Pakistan were 203-2 at tea before Butt was fourth man out for 108, one of three wickets for Glenn McGrath.
MacGill snared five wickets as Pakistan slumped to 292-9 before their last pair took an offer of bad light.
The leg-spinner, playing his first Test since March, once again enjoyed success on his home ground after an expensive opening spell yielded 35 runs from his first four overs.
He hit back in the final session to have Pakistan floundering after Butt's innings - which featured 16 fours - had threatened to give the tourists the advantage.
Pakistan enjoyed some good fortune early on when Hameed survived being dropped off successive balls by Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist in Jason Gillespie's first over.
But after a shaky start the visitors - who brought in Asim Kamal, Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Asif - reached 92 without loss at lunch.
Australia debutant Shane Watson was introduced into the attack after 13 overs but slipped over delivering his first ball and was cracked for six over square leg by Hameed.
Shane Warne finally removed Hameed after lunch when the batsman top-edged a sweep to the alert Michael Clarke, running round from first slip.
But Butt and Younis Khan (46) put on 91 for the second wicket before MacGill induced Younis into a rash drive straight to McGrath at mid-off with the score on 193.
Pakistan were well placed at tea on 205-2 but MacGill soon dismissed Yousuf Youhana and Asim Kamal, while McGrath finally had Butt caught behind for 108.
MacGill then snared a fourth wicket when Shahid Afridi - soon after smashing McGrath for six - went for another big hit only to hole out to deep mid-wicket.
McGrath then found some delicious reverse swing. He trapped Naved-ul-Hasan lbw and yorked Shoaib Akhtar, both for ducks, in the same over.
That left Pakistan floundering on 261-8, having lost five wickets for 20 runs in the space of just 28 balls.
MacGill grabbed his fifth wicket when Danish Kaneria edged to Gilchrist before Kamran Akmal (35 not out) and Mohammad Asif accepted an offer of bad light.
Australia: Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting (capt), Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Stuart MacGill.
Pakistan: Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Younis Khan, Yousuf Youhana (capt), Asim Kamal, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Mohammad Asif Shoaib Akhtar, Naved-ul-Hasan, Danish Kaneria.
Third Test, Sydney: Australia v Pakistan 292-9 (stumps).
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