England rolled in a session in record-breaking MCG day

• LISTEN LIVE: Every ball of the Ashes
• Aussies all out for 152 before skittling England for 110
• 20 wickets fall as Stuart Broad slams MCG pitch
• 94,199 in attendance. The biggest crowd ever for cricket at the venue

Day 1 at the MCG is in the books, and it was an astonishing day of cricket.

After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Ben Stokes was incredibly happy to roll the Aussies before Tea for 152...

Little did he know, they'd be bowling again before Stumps as Australia bowled the visitors out for just 110.

Some crazy cricket and a pitch that did everything, fans at the 'G got value for money on Day 1... but those who have tickets for Day 3 would be seriously worried.

At Stumps, Simon Katich said that 'England are shot', while Damien Fleming thinks the Aussies could go 4-0 in the Ashes on just Day 2 on Saturday.

Australia take a 46-run lead heading into Day 2. Check out how play unfolded below.

STUMPS

Australia 152 & 0/4

England 110

6:02pm - Stumps on an insane day of cricket

Australia 0/4 - Boland 4, Head 0

Scott Boland and Australia survive that final over to wrap up an astonishing day of cricket.

20 wickets. Record crowds. Entertainment.

Check out how the day unfolded below as Australia take a 46-run lead into Day 2!

5:57pm - Aussies sending a nightwatchmen to the middle

Australia 0/0

With one wicket signalling Stumps, Australia have sent out Scott Boland to face the final over on Day 1.

Travis Head has also strolled out to the crease with him, although you wouldn't expect any singles to occur.

This will save Australia losing one of their key bats ahead of Day 2.

... but there's also every chance they're now 1/0 at Stumps, which would mean 21 wickets falling on a ridiculous day of cricket.

5:49pm - Green gets the last one

England 110

England are all out, and with the wicket falling just before the 5:50pm changeover, the Aussies will have to face one over tonight!

It's Green who bowls Gus Atkinson for 28, and it's history with 20 wickets falling on Day 1.

"It's the first time in 74 years that 20 wickets have fallen on Day 1 of a Test match in this country!" - Gerard Whateley.

Neser finishes with 4/45, while Boland continued his great MCG record with 3/30. Mitchell Starc also chipped in with 2/23 early on.

England trail by 42 runs as the Aussies begin their second innings.

5:40pm - Interesting time here

England 9/107 - Atkinson 25, Tongue 4

Given the 10-minute innings changeover, England will need to be bowled out or declare (unlikely) before 5:50pm (AEDT) for the Aussies to bat again.

Travis Head and Jake Weatherald will probably be hoping that the Aussies take just over 10 minutes to take this 10th wicket so they're not due at the crease until the start of Day 2.

5:30pm - 100 up for England

England 9/102 - Atkinson 20, Tongue 1

The visitors have passed triple figures, and for all of their struggles this innings, they now only trail by 50.

Damien Fleming even thinks that getting out now could be the play for the visitors who can "get back in the game" with two or three Aussie wickets before Stumps.

5:20pm - Neser grabs a fourth!

England 9/91 - Atkinson 10, Tongue to the crease

Brydon Carse is the latest to fall, with the big bowler going for four as he skies a Michael Neser bouncer to fine leg.

The ball sailed incredibly high, but Scott Boland did enough to latch onto it in the deep.

"Carse gets the short ball, has one look at it and sends it high!" - Adam Collins.

It now seems that Australia will certainly bat again on Day 1. Just remarkable.

5:08pm - Stokes goes!

England 8/83 - Atkinson 6, Carse to the crease

Michael Neser comes onto bowl, and he gets a wicket with his first ball.

This is utter carnage at the 'G with England now every chance of not even scoring 100.

Neser has a third and Stokes has to go for 16 after edging to Steve Smith in second slip.

"Stokes is gone, he can't believe it. The bowling change does the work... England are falling apart, they may not even make 100!" - Tom Morris.

5:01pm - 'Cricket in fast forward'

England 7/77 - Stokes 16, Atkinson to the crease

Boland has a third and this time it's Jacks who falls after inside edging to Alex Carey behind the stumps.

It's been a superb spell from the Victorian who is hitting the right line and length every single ball and letting the pitch do the rest.

A miraculous 17 wickets have now fallen, and we've still got an hour left of play.

"Boland at the MCG again, Jacks had no idea and Carey took the catch. England lose their seventh. Boland once again at the 'G is causing absolute carnage." - Tom Morris.

"It's almost perfection from Boland, he's just asking every question." - Chris Rogers.

4:49pm - This is happening very quickly

England 6/68 - Stokes 15, Jacks to the crease

Scotty Boland has another, this time it's Jamie Smith who falls for 2 off 3 clean bowled through the gate.

The Victorian is asking every question of the opposition's forward defence, and with the movement here on this deck, he's simply too good.

Will Jacks is now at the crease, and even though he's a No. 8, he's still a genuinely recognised batsman.

If the Aussies can get another one or two here before 5pm, there's every chance they'll before Stumps again tonight.

"This pitch is doing everything. There's a ball coming with your name on it." - Stuart Broad.

4:41 - The big wicket!

England 5/66 - Stokes 15, Smith to the crease

Scott Boland gets his first of the game, trapping Harry Brook in front LBW!

Brook doesn't even send the decision upstairs, with the ball decking in enough to the No. 5 who was back in his crease.

"Stone dead, the danger man Brook has to go for 41." - Gerard Whateley.

"It's an absolutely beauty of a ball, Harry Brook just walks straight off." - Stuart Broad.

There's no doubt that one was missing, England are now 5/66!

4:20pm - Broad: This pitch is doing 'too much'

Former England quick Stuart Broad isn't liking what he's seeing from the MCG pitch.

With 14 wickets already falling, Broad thinks that the ball is simply moving sideways far too much at this stage of the game.

As all of the Aussie bowlers hit the seam, the England batters are constantly being beaten on the inside and outside edge as the Kookaburra jags around everywhere.

"The pitch is doing too much if I'm brutally honest. Test match bowlers don't need this amount of movement to look threatening." - Stuart Broad.

"Great Test match pitches generally, they bounce, but they don't jag all over the place."

4:10pm - Is this deck really that bad?

England 4/35 - Brook 22, Stokes 3

This pitch looks like a minefield with how England are batting on it, but is it actually that bad?

Former Test opener Simon Katich isn't so sure despite 14 wickets falling with almost two hours left on Day 1.

"Yes, there's a little bit of juice in the wicket with 10mm of grass, but there should not be 14 wickets gone already. It's as if they (England) are spooked by the covering of grass." - Simon Katich.

3:58pm - Root goes too!

England 4/16 - Brook 7, Stokes to the crease

What is happening at the 'G! England lose another with Michael Neser catching Joe Root's outside edge.

The superstar departs without scoring, with a 15-ball duck now next to his name.

Neser absolutely deserved the wicket after a brilliant over or two where he continually beat the outside edge.

This is going from bad to worse for the Poms.

"14 ball duck, Neser's got a couple, this is a Test match in fast forward." - Adam Collins.

"It is so difficult with these Australians, they are unrelenting."

3:50pm - Brook isn't backing down

England 3/15 - Brook 6, Root 0

Harry Brook's arrival to the crease hasn't coincided with a decision to try and consolidate, with the English No. 5 going on the counterattack.

After walking at his first ball, Brook hasn't been scared to play his shots on the spicy deck.

Gerard Whateley and Bharat Sundaresan think that England may just be throwing their hands at balls knowing one may have their name on it very soon,

"They're flukers and chancers, that's what they've decided to do. It's a bit mad to be honest" - Gerard Whateley.

"It feels like they've given up." - Bharat Sundaresan.

3:38pm - Another one!

England 3/8 - Root 0, Brook to the crease

Starc strikes again, removing Crawley for 5 with Steve Smith taking an easy catch in slips.

England are now 3/8, with Starc grabbing his second.

The deck is doing everything, and the Aussies are having a field day with the ball.

"Starc's got two, Crawley's gone for 5, we might try and break more records today, how many wickets will fall on Boxing Day?!" - Gerard Whateley.

"This is not a collapse, this is a procession!" - Bharat Sundaresan.

3:25pm - Bethell doesn't last long

England 2/8 - Crawley 5, Root to the crease

The England No. 3 goes for one with Michael Neser removing Bethell.

He thought about sending it upstairs, but he thinks otherwise and is given out caught behind.

It's a hot start for the Aussies, who have England reeling now at 2/8 as Joe Root strides to the crease.

3:25pm - Starc draws first blood!

England 1/7 - Crawley 5, Bethell to the crease

Starc removes Ben Duckett for 2, with the left-handed opener skying a leading edge to Michael Neser at mid-on.

It was a bit of a nothing shot from the opener, and he pays the price as Starc gets the job done early.

It continues a horror tour for Duckett, and Jacob Bethell now strolls to the crease for his first knock down under.

"Australia's fightback is on!" - Gerard Whateley.

3:25pm - Record crowd officially in at the MCG

The crowd number is in, and it's record breaking for the MCG.

At 3:24pm, the MCG confirmed that 93,442 were at the ground, the highest recorded crowd for a cricket match at the venue ever.

They've certainly been treated to some entertaining cricket already with 10 wickets taken across two sessions.

3:19pm - England survive first over

England 0/1 - Crawley 1, Duckett 0

England have survived Mitchell Starc's first over.

Starc had the ball talking on the lively wicket, but Crawley and Duckett defended and fended their way out of the first six balls.

This will be a long session given Tea was taken early. Australia will want at least four wickets during it to keep themselves in the game.

AUSTRALIA 152

2:52 - Tongue grabs five!

England have bowled Australia out for 152! A huge performance from the visitors after choosing to bowl first.

Tongue grabs the edge of Scott Boland, with the catch easily taken in the slips by Harry Brook.

The right-armer finishes with 5/45 from 11.2 overs.

"They needed someone to stand up and be a hero, they haven't had many in the last five or six weeks." - Bharat Sundaresan.

"The Ashes might be gone, but there's still time to make an impact."

Tongue will be on a hat-trick when England bowl in the second innings.

2:50pm - Neser departs

Josh Tongue has four as he bowls Neser with a beauty on 35!

On this deck, the big quick has gotten the ball to really talk when he's pitched it up, and that did plenty as it decked back into the No. 8.

Australia are now 9/152, and no matter what they'll be quite below par you'd imagine.

“That’s comprehensive. The ball went flying over the cordon (after taking the stumps). That’s a beauty from Josh Tongue.” - Adam Collins.

“It was very similar to the Steve Smith dismissal. A well deserved fourth wicket to Tongue.” - Bharat Sundaresan.

2:46pm - Starc goes too

Mitchell Starc has tossed his wicket away on 1, driving in the air over cover where he was caught by Ben Stokes.

Stokes had to run backwards to claim the catch, and Carse might be lucky here after it was sent at upstairs for a no-ball... while it looked like he overstepped, the umpire has ticked things off and the Aussies are now 8/152.

They could be bowling before Tea at this rate!

“Excellent catch running back with the flight by Stokes. Sets the example in the field.” - Adam Collins

“A curious innings by Starc. Neser is down the other end making runs… (and he played that shot). - Chris Rogers.

Jhye Richardson joins Neser, who is on 35 not out, at the crease.

2:34pm - Shocking run out for the Aussies

Cam Green has effectively run himself out.

While pushing a quick single to the off-side, Green hesitated before taking off, allowing Brydon Carse to pick it up in his follow through, and throw down the stumps at the bowlers end.

There was probably a single there, but not with any hesitation.

"What a waste. 7/143 and in conditions that favour the bowlers so haveily, you gift a run out." - Gerard Whateley.

“Australia had wrestled the momentum back. The intention was good, but maybe in this moment in time it was just a case of perhaps not taking any undue risks.” - Chris Rogers.

Australia are now 7/143, Mitchell Starc has strode to the crease.

2:32pm - Neser the leader

Michael Neser became Australia’s leading run scorer on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test.

After a rough stint batting against Ben Stokes, he struck three straight boundaries off Josh Tongue to move into the 30s. Plus four cheeky leg byes.

It’s been a decent little rearguard action from Neser and Cam Green who is on 17. The pair have come together for a 50-ru partnership.

Australia now 6/142.

2:16pm - Much-needed partnership building at drinks

Cam Green (14 not out) and Michael Neser (15 not out) are adding some crucial runs to the Aussie total.

The score now sits at 6/120, and the Aussies would be happy with anything near 200 you'd imagine given the tricks this deck is playing.

If they can eek out another 30 here between them, Australia will feel back in the game somehwat before they likely bowl tonight.

1:56pm - Score update

Australia 6/95 (34 overs) - Cam Green 2, Michael Neser 2

Travis Head: b Atkinson - 12
Jake Weatherald: c Smith b Tongue - 10
Marnus Labuschagne: c Root b Tongue - 6
Steve Smith: b Tongue - 9
Usman Khawaja: c Smith b Atkinson - 29
Alex Carey: c Crawley b Stokes - 20

1:41pm - Carey trap works a treat

Alex Carey is now gone! Caught by Zak Crawley off the bowling of Ben Stokes.

The skipper set a trap at leg gully and it worked a treat with Crawley taking the simplest of catches.

Australia now 6/91. Cam Green to bat with the tail, starting with Michael Neser.

"Caught in the trap, caught in leg gully! He had the trap set and Carey fell right into the middle of it!" - Adam Collins

"You can see by the way the England players celebrated that, that it was a plan they had been talking about." - Stuart Broad.

1:28pm - Another wicket down

Unman Khawaja has been given out with the faintest of nicks on Snicko. He departs for 29.

Gus Atkinson gets his second wicket after Khawaja was unable to survive a DRS shout from the English.

Australia 5/89 with Cam Green now at the crease.

"Atkinson didn't even turn around, I think he expected Usman to walk... Usman just got a good delivery, he can't be too disappointed with himself there." - Damien Fleming.

"It's the smallest of spikes! But it's telltale... the synchronisity does Usman Khawaja in, the faintest of nicks and Khawaja's innings ends at 29." - Gerard Whateley

1:16pm - Will this be a bowler's Test?

Australia should be disappointed with the first session, says Gerard Whateley.

But he does concede this MCG pitch will favour the bowlers.

“They should have done better,” said Gerard Whateley.

“Head is going to be that style of opener, Weatherald will be disappointed, Labuschagne was loose and Smith was impatient.

“I think this will be a bowler’s Test match though.”

12:31pm - Tongues are wagging at LUNCH on Day 1

The lunch break is here and England have taken the choccies in the first session at the MCG.

Australia lost the top four cheaply - Travis Head (12), Jake Weatherald (10), Marnus Labuschagne (6) and Steve Smith (9) - with Josh Tongue taking three wickets.

Usman Khawaja has 21 runs to his name and Alex Carey is on 9 at the first major break.

Australia 4/72 at lunch.

12:06pm - Smith skittled, England on top

England are well and truly on top here.

Steve Smith is bowled by Josh Tongue for 9. He was attempting to drive and his middle stump was clattered past the inside of his willow.

Tongue has three wickets.

Damien Fleming: "This is a great spell from Tongue."

Australia 4/51 and in real trouble now.

11:59am - Score update

Australia 3/51 (18 overs) - Steve Smith 9, Usman Khawaja 9

Travis Head: b Atkinson - 12
Jake Weatherald: c Smith b Tongue - 10
Marnus Labuschagne: c Root b Tongue - 6

11:28am - Tongue strikes again!

Tongue is bowling superbly.

He takes the scalp of Marnus Labuschagne who is caught by Joe Root at first slip for 6.

“An expansive drive to a fuller ball, it’s a beautiful delivery,” Chris Rogers said on SEN Cricket.

“But I think that's poor shot selection from Labuschagne, especially when he hasn’t got the runs he’s wanted.”

Stuart Broad added: “Credit to Tongue for finding that full length.

“That is where you’re looking to bowl to Marnus for sure. It’s hard to leave that full of a length.

“Good bowling but a poor shot selection.”

Australia 3/34 at drinks.

11:15am - Weatherald edges down leg side

Josh Tongue strikes with just his second delivery.

Jake Weatherald is caught down the leg side for 10.

He was trying to flick it through the on side but just tickled it to Jamie Smith behind the stumps.

Australia in a little bit of trouble at 2/31 as Steve Smith strides to the crease.

10:58am - Head chops on

After a nice over with back-to-back boundaries off Brydon Carse, Travis Head drags onto his stumps off Gus Atkinson.

The opener is gone for 12 after attempting a cut shot to a ball that wasn't so wide.

"Just when the scoreboard was rattling along, Travis Head is departing the middle of the MCG," said Gerard Whateley.

"He'll be disappointed with it."

Australia 1/27 - Weatherald 10 not out, Marnus Labuschagne to the crease.

10:40am - Bay 13 for Barmy Army… Flem can’t believe it

The Barmy Army have a prime perch in Bay 13 at the bottom of the Shane Warne Stand.

“Five bays of English fans dedicated in the bottom of the Shane Warne Stand singing Jerusalem,” Gerard Whateley explained.

“Not quite David Hobson from Carols but a lovely backdrop.”

But Damien Fleming can’t quite believe his eyes.

Flem asked: “How has that been allowed, by the way?

“That’s Merv Hughes territory, that’s Max Walker, Peter Siddle. Bay 13 is for Victorians.”

Over 75,000 fans at the MCG already!

10:35am - Streaky start for Australia

Gus Atkinson challenged both Travis Head and Jake Weatherald in the opening over.

It was a “streaky” Aussie start according to Gerard Whateley.

10:00am - England to bowl, both XIs named

England won the toss and skipper Ben Stokes has chosen to bowl first.

Australia have not selected a spinner with Jhye Richardson and Michael Neser back in the team alongside Steve Smith who will captain.

See the Australian & England XIs below:

8:40am - Weak England bowling attack

SEN Cricket’s Tom Morris believes this England bowling attack is the weakest we have seen for some time.

After Jofra Archer was ruled out with a side strain, it leaves the Poms with his replacement Gus Atkinson, as well as Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Ben Stokes and spinner Will Jacks as the key bowlers.

Morris reckons it could set up well for the Australian batting lineup.

“If you’re playing Test cricket as a batter and you’re determined and focused and have a steely resolve to make runs, that attack doesn’t worry you,” Morris said on SEN’s The New Ball.

“That’s as weak a bowling attack we’ve seen for quite some time for England. There’s no (Jimmy) Anderson, no (Stuart) Broad, now no Archer.

“I don’t know what their reserves are at home, but that’s not a Test match bowling attack that should be taking 20 wickets against Australia.”

Bharat Sundaresan spoke of the major blow for England with both Mark Wood and now Archer out of action after commencing the series as potential destroyers.

“There was so much hype around Mark Wood and Jofra Archer. They were the bash brothers who were going to come here and cause a lot of damage to Australia.

“They showed some signs of it but three Tests in, it’s 3-0, Wood has gone home and Archer has been ruled out of the series.

“Some of the Aussie batters were like, ‘So, that’s it?’.”

8:30am - Cold, cloudy and overcast in Melbourne

Here we are on Day 1 of the Boxing Day Test and it feels like it could be footy season.

It's a fresh 14 degrees, grey and overcast in Melbourne, but the sun is intermittently peaking its beautiful head through the clouds.

Basically it's a standard English morning, minus the rain (which could come).

Could make for some interesting swing bowling early in the day's play. Would you bowl first?