Christmas is a time for giving and Australia was in a generous mood on the first day of the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG. The hosts lavished wickets on their grateful guests with hospitable regularity. Australia was all out before tea, for a record low score of 98, while in reply; England sailed to 0/157 and command of the match and the series.

For the second game in a row Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to field, a decision that paid off handsomely. James Anderson (4/44) Chris Tremlett (4/26) and Tim Bresnan (2/25) put the ball consistently in the right areas on an MCG wicket doing just enough to reveal the flaws in Australia's batting technique. The desultory 98 is Australia's lowest score versus England at the MCG and its second lowest ever at the historic venue.

If England's bowlers deserve great credit for their control and consistency, Australia's batsmen deserve commensurate criticism for failing to apply themselves to the Boxing Day conditions. Philip Hughes and Brad Haddin in particular will be embarrassed with the manner of their departures, both slashing wildly at deliveries deserving of greater circumspection.

Australia's shambolic performance could actually have been worse. Shane Watson was dropped twice before he became the first wicket to fall. Paul Collingwood can be forgiven for failing to get under a difficult chance at third slip in the first over but Kevin Pietersen will be disappointed to have only parried a head-high chance at gully. Not that either miss proved costly as Watson made only five before deflecting a Chris Tremlett lifter off his glove to a more watchful Pietersen in the gully.

Watson's dismissal brought Ricky Ponting to the crease, selected despite a fractured finger. The Australian captain has placed such importance on this game he indicated beforehand that if his side loses it would prove to be the most pivotal Test of his career. He will not have been pleased therefore to watch as Philip Hughes played the loosest of drives to give Pietersen his second catch of the match and Bresnan's first of the series. To that point, Hughes (16) had looked as assured as he has all series but in one full-blooded assault at a good length delivery moving away from his off-stump he undermined any progress he might have made.

However filthy Ponting must have felt at such a needless dismissal he would have been feeling much worse an over later. Tremlett found the line and length that has proved so dangerous in his short Ashes career and Ponting (10) found himself rooted to the crease and fending indecisively to Graeme Swann in the slips. The delivery earned the wicket but the angle of Ponting's bat in defence will offer more ammunition for critics suggesting he should prolong his Test career lower down the order.

Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey looked like they would steer their side to lunch without further loss but in the final over before the first break Hussey (8) succumbed to a pearler from Anderson. It was always likely to take something special to remove Mr Cricket and Anderson produced it with a fast off-cutter that Australia's best batsman did well to get wood on. Unfortunately for Hussey it was just enough to deflect it though to Matt Prior behind the stumps.

Hussey's wicket ushered in lunch and with it rain - enough to delay the afternoon session by 45 minutes. Normal service was resumed after the break though with Steve Smith (6) Brad Haddin (5) Michael Clarke (20) and Mitchell Johnson (0) all falling in quick succession.

Smith is a young cricketer of great talent but he has not yet acclimatised to Test cricket. His short innings looked destined to end with a flat-footed push behind the wicket and so it proved when Anderson tempted him to prod one-too-many times.

Clarke top-scored with 20 and looked as close to being ‘in' as any of his teammates but his dismissal was unerringly similar to most of the rest. Unsure whether or not to come forward to a probing Anderson outswinger Clarke was caught on the move, groping away from his body through to the safe gloves of Prior.

At such moments Australia has been used to Brad Haddin leading rearguard actions. The problem with the counterattack however is that if it fails it looks irresponsible. Which is exactly what Haddin appeared after playing fast and loose on his way to edging a huge drive off Bresnan to Strauss in the slips.

Haddin's folly was compounded just three balls later when Mitchell Johnson received another Anderson classic. Expecting Anderson's stock inswinger, Johnson was served a fast off-cutter, which he feathered to the keeper. Considering the spiteful nature of Johnson and Anderson's relationship, it is to Johnson's credit that he walked, even though Aleem Dar was yet to raise his finger.

Ryan Harris (10*) and Peter Siddle (11) knuckled down as best they could but by their entries to the crease all eyes were on the record books. Australia's previous record low score against England at the MCG was 104 - back in 1877 - but that mark was lowered as first Siddle and then Ben Hilfenhaus (0) fell to Matt Prior catches off the bowling of Chris Tremlett.

The best Australia has to offer mustered just 98 in 42.5 overs. On the biggest day of the Test calendar. In its most important home series in years. Not good enough.

In reply, Strauss (64*) and Alastair Cook (80*) were chanceless in reaching 0/157. The composure of England's openers betrayed the demons that were supposedly lurking in the wicket during Australia's torturous innings. The same pacemen that obliterated England at Perth busted guts but without the same control or subtlety as the situation demanded.

Cook was incorrectly adjudicated LBW with the score at 70 but the smile on his face as he signalled for a referral broadened as hotspot indicated he almost middled it.

Earlier on, selection again provided much conjecture with Australia retaining the same XI that trounced England so convincingly in Perth a week ago. Such continuity meant that Ricky Ponting's finger was deemed strong enough to withstand what he described as the most important game of his career.

The decision to stick with an all-pace attack also meant a second successive disappointment for Michael Beer. Selected as a WACA specialist, the Victorian has now been passed over for the two wickets he would be most accustomed to, raising questions of the expediency of his inclusion in the Australian set up at all.

England made one change from its Perth line-up, bowling all-rounder Tim Bresnan replacing Stephen Finn to add some steel to the lower order and greater economy to the bowling attack.

The view from Australia

Despite the scoreline today the margin between the two sides is wafer-thin. However, such is the importance of this series in Australia's transition that failure in this Test cannot be tolerated.

The first-innings averages (below) and the chronic inability to take twenty wickets (Howcroft ad nauseum) combine to present the image of a side accurately ranked at fifth in the world. Despite expectations being much higher than this, wholesale changes have not materialised and mediocre performances have multiplied.

Selection has been muddled; strategy, directed by coach and captain has been uninspired and the outcome is a likely first home Ashes defeat in 24 years.

If Cricket Australia continues to insist this is not yet a side in transition someone needs to removes its blinkers. There is a World Cup to win in the New Year, after which a squad needs rebuilding with the intention of regaining the number one spot in the Test Rankings, not simply halting an already un-Australian decline.

The view from England

This is as perfect a first day of Test cricket as England could ever dream of. After being touched-up in Perth, England has responded in perfect fashion. The bowlers found swing, seam and bounce; the fielders held their catches (mostly) and the opening batsmen revealed the pitch to be as flat as it was hostile for its opponents.

Under the leadership of Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower England is unlikely to get complacent but self-destruction is likely to be the only thing preventing England from retaining the Ashes some time on Wednesday.

Hero

Matt Prior. England's gloveman took six catches behind the wicket today, most regulation, but just reward for an outstanding summer behind the wicket. England's tall swing bowlers are likely to induce a number of edges and to have them taken without fuss transmits great confidence throughout the fielding unit. Add in the odd leg-side blinder and England has a solution to its long-standing battle to find a keeper with the ability to hold a place at seven or even above.

Villain

The following is a list of Australia's first-innings scores this series at the loss of its fifth wicket - 5/143, 5/156, 5/69 and 5/66.

One partnership in Brisbane and Mitchell Johnson's bowling in Perth ensured these cracks could be papered over but eventually such poor starts prove fatal.

In first-innings this series Mike Hussey averages 89, Brad Haddin 62 but the next highest average is Shane Watson with just 26. At the lower end Steve Smith averages 6, Ricky Ponting 8 and Michael Clarke 9.

If Ricky Ponting's portent is true and defeat in Melbourne is significant in the trajectory of Australian cricket it is these numbers that will be of greatest concern to the selectors. Should faith be retained in Hughes and Smith? Should Ponting and Watson adjust their places in the order? What of Michael Clarke?

The rebuild should already be underway. If it is delayed any longer the fans that deserted the Members section of the MCG long before the close of play will simply not bother turning up at all.

I'm not sure anyone else noticed but...

All the talk of record crowds proved to be unnecessary, as, despite the game being sol-out for some time the MCC Members section of the MCG remained unfilled. The final figure of 84,000, around 7,000 under capacity, raises questions of ticket allocation to such large events.

What's next?

With Australia ending its first-innings inside two sessions the game is already well advanced and with no inclement weather forecast only a miracle will prevent England winning this Test and guaranteeing the Ashes remains theirs for another series.

TAB Sportsbet Odds:

Australia $13.00 Draw $6.00 England $1.20

Day 1

England 0/157 - Strauss 64*, Cook 80*

Australia 98