England’s Ashes tour teetered on another crisis as they were bowled out for 110 on an almost farcical first day of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The 20 wickets to fall is the most on the opening day of an Ashes Test since 1909 and surpassed the 19 of the first day of the first Test of this series in Perth.
Steve Smith, standing-in as Australia captain, said the 10mm long grass on the pitch would mean batters had to be “on their game” in the Boxing Day Test.
Smith was right. His side were hustled out for 152, then England were decimated in a single session after tea.
There was still time for Australia to face one over of their second innings before the close, only the third time in Test history the third innings of the match has begun on day one. The hosts are 4-0, leading by 46.
Perth was the first two-day Ashes Test in 104 years. Melbourne could be the second in the space of five weeks.
The havoc of the evening made England’s improved performance with ball and in the field a distant memory. Pace bowler Josh Tongue was excellent in claiming 5-45.
But England were bowling again before the end of the day as their batting was flattened in 29.5 overs.
England were 8-3 and 16-4. Harry Brook’s dance, swipe and miss for Mitchell Starc from his first ball seemed witless in the moment, yet it was Brook’s audacity that kept England from a complete implosion.
Brook swatted 41, including two sixes. Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were the only other men to reach double figures.
Michael Neser claimed four wickets, Scott Boland three, with the silliness of the day summed up by Boland then opening the batting as nightwatchman.