MOHAMMAD Amir must wait an extra 24 hours to bowl his first ball on Pakistan's Test tour of England, as his compatriots instead tuned up with three half-centuries against Somerset.

Amir, back in England for the first time since the 2010 spot-fixing scandal, spent day one of three watching Younus Khan (99no) top-scoring in a stumps total of 324 for five.

It was in Taunton too that the then teenage seamer, a brilliant exponent of his trade, had to do his best to evade fevered media attention after he, captain Salman Butt and fellow pace bowler Mohammad Asif had conspired to deliver no-balls to order for financial gain in the Lord's Test.

Back then, Pakistan warmed up for what turned out to be a rancorous one-day international series with a tour match at this venue.

This time, in the first of their two fixtures before Amir makes his Test return at Lord's next week - after a prison sentence, and a five-year ban from all cricket which ended last September - he had a little more time to ponder his comeback after Misbah-ul-Haq won the toss.

By way of distraction, old hand Younus shared a stand of 179 for the fifth wicket with Asad Shafiq (80) following Shan Masood's 62 at the top of the order, as Pakistan gradually attuned themselves to this summer's requirements.

They did so against a largely callow if cosmopolitan attack, featuring a Scotsman, a Dutchman and a South African - only one of whom, alongside debutant 18-year-old off-spinner Dominic Bess, has County Championship experience.

Pakistan's innings bore all the hallmarks, for the first two sessions at least, of a team getting up to speed at the start of an overseas tour.

Masood, who last played Test cricket before being dropped mid-series against England in the United Arab Emirates last November, fared best before lunch.

The tall opener had a little fortune on his side, however, as did his partner Mohammad Hafeez.

The latter had a close call for lbw on nought against Josh Davey, but umpire Billy Taylor detected an edge and gave runs for a resulting overthrow.

Hafeez was stoic until he climbed into a successive hook and then pull for sixes.

After Masood escaped a caught-and-bowled chance to Davey on 17, there was another lbw scare for Hafeez before he was apparently done for pace and bowled by the slippery Paul van Meekeren.

The Holland international might have had Masood caught behind on 39, Alex Barrow unable to hold on diving down the leg-side, allowing the left-hander to go to his 50 in early afternoon when he off-drove Davey for his seventh four from his 122nd ball.

Pakistan had just moved into three figures when they lost a second wicket, Azhar Ali caught behind driving at Van Meekeren.

Then the tourists lost two in three balls to Tim Groenewald, Masood lbw toppling over to a full-length delivery and then Misbah going for a duck when he chiselled a catch to third slip.

Two more might have gone before tea, but Adam Hose missed a shy at the stumps from midwicket when Shafiq had only a single and then Younus survived a tough chance on 20 to his fellow veteran Marcus Trescothick at second slip off Davey.

Younus, who like both Shafiq and Masood had passed his 50 with his seventh boundary, had a second piece of fortune on 75 when the luckless Davey saw another chance go down off his bowling - Barrow unable to lay a hand on an inside edge.

After Shafiq was caught at point of Jack Leach, though, there was not quite enough time for Younus to reach his 53rd first-class century.

Amir, listed to come in at number eight, can expect to bat before he bowls today.

But Younus agrees it will be a true relief for the bowler only when he gets back to doing what he does best again.

He said: "It will be (a relief), because he's waited a long time.

"He's prepared very well. If he can perform against England, a top team, it will be very nice for him.

"Pakistan need him to bowl well, and he's shown what kind of character he has."

Younus anticipates a tough tour, but one too which he hopes at the age of 38 can be one of his most rewarding.

"Any teams that come to England struggle against their bowling attack here," he said.

"We know it won't be easy, but we are prepared.

"It would be very fantastic for me (to win the series).

"If I perform, I will be the happy man of the earth."