By Matthew Sherry
England hit back outstandingly after Mitchell Johnson completed a five-wicket haul on the second day of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Johnson struck thrice in his first three overs after England resumed on 226 for six, having Tim Bresnan caught at short-leg with a vicious throat ball before bowling Kevin Pietersen for 71 and trapping Stuart Broad lbw.
The tourists responded well thereafter, James Anderson leading the way with three wickets as only Chris Rogers - who struck 61 - got going for Australia.Nathan Lyon then finished the job, castling Monty Panesar - who was shouldering arms - to dismiss England for 255.
Anderson snared David Warner, who skied an attempted pull behind, bowled Michael Clarke with an in-dipper and lured George Bailey into the faintest of feathers.
He was well supported by Ben Stokes, Bresnan and Broad.
Stokes ousted Shane Watson caught behind, Bresnan had Steven Smith taken at second slip and Johnson at midwicket and Broad saw Rogers, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle snaffled at mid-off, short-leg and cover respectively as Australia ultimately closed on 164 for nine, still 91 behind.
Match Scorecard / Live ball-by-ball commentary
Live images of day two / Follow ECB_Cricket on Twitter
Sign up for Ashes Breakfast email
BBC Radio Test Match Special live commentary
The Ashes on Sky Sports / TV highlights on Pick TV
England bowling figures, day 2: @JimmyAnderson9 3-50 @stuartbroad8 3-30 @timbresnan 2-24 @benstokes38 1-38 #Ashespic.twitter.com/B829PH9LWX
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 27, 2013
"Days like that have been few and far between and we really want to get something out of this tour" - Anderson #Ashes
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 27, 2013
James Anderson speaking to media moments ago... #asheshttps://t.co/WrHkC1SyLi
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 27, 2013
Chris Rogers says Australia have had their worst day of the series on day two at the @MCG#Ashespic.twitter.com/OqKjtenRXh
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
Evening Session
Watch highlights of the evening session from the MCG
Australia 1st Innings
7am - WICKET! Siddle c Bresnan b Broad 0 - STUMPS! Australia 164/9; Haddin 43 - What a way to finish the day! England grab another as Peter Siddle hits a Broad slower ball straight to cover. Stumps are drawn with Australia 91 runs adrift.
6.49am - WICKET! Harris c Root b Broad 6; Australia 162/8 - Broad grabs his second wicket as Ryan Harris fends a delivery aimed at his ribs to short-leg.
Edged from Harris, but too quick for Cook to get a hand on it. Ryano (or Rhino?) gets off the mark with a boundary. AUS 7-156 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
6.24am - WICKET! Johnson c Anderson b Bresnan 2; Australia 151/7 - The Bresnan-Anderson combination does for Mitchell Johnson this time as the batsman pulls straight down midwicket's throat.
Brad Haddin passes his own record for the most number of runs by an Australian wicketkeeper in an #ashes series
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) December 27, 2013
6.17am - REVIEW! - Monty Panesar raps Haddin on the pad and umpire Aleem Dar raises the finger, only for the decision to be overturned with the ball missing leg.
Drop! Anderson hands Johnson a life at short cover. Was hit hard, but a nice height and you'd expect him to take that. Aus 147-6 #ashes
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 27, 2013
6.01am - Haddin has unsurprisingly decided on an attacking approach, cutting, aerially driving and clipping Anderson for three boundaries in an over.
That Haddin six has set the new WORLD RECORD for the most sixes in a a series. 52 and counting! #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
Boom! As wickets tumble from one end, Haddin launches Stokes over long-on for six... And then three more. AUS 6-131 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
Best wishes from all of us @bbctms to one of THE characters of Radio Cricket commentary @kokeeffe49 who is to retire from @abcgrandstand
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) December 27, 2013
5.41am - WICKET! Bailey c Bairstow b Anderson 0; Australia 122/6 - Another one bites the dust! George Bailey, who had faced 18 deliveries without scoring, gets the faintest of edges off James Anderson, England successfully utilising the Decision Review System.
5.35am - Brad Haddin is moving, driving and pulling Ben Stokes for boundaries in the space of three overs.
Tim Bresnan spell 5 overs 1 maiden 1 for 5
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) December 27, 2013
5.16am - WICKET! Rogers c Pietersen b Bresnan 61; England 112/5 - Big wicket for England. Rogers attempts to hit Tim Bresnan over mid-off yet fails to clear Kevin Pietersen.
5.04am - WICKET! Smith c Bell b Broad 19; Australia 110/4 - England continue to chip away as Smith's attempted cut off Broad flies to second slip, where Ian Bell clings on to a sharp chance.
4.47am - That is very much Steven Smith's shot. Stuart Broad is a little too short and the number five smears it to the fence between two boundary riders.
Rogers brings up the Australia 100 with a boundary immediately after tea. #catchup on every ball of day two here: http://t.co/SUYRZYJ61c
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 27, 2013
Afternoon Session
Watch highlights of the afternoon session from the MCG
4.12am - TEA! Australia 96/3; Rogers 50, Smith 14 - Australia were 58 for one during an attritional session that has left this game nicely poised.
4.07am - FIFTY! Rogers (113b 7x4 0x6) - Despite being kept on 49 for a while, Rogers moves to a half-century with a quick single off Panesar. It's been a fine innings so far.
3.50am - Monty Panesar is into the attack but has yet to find his rhythm, punished by Rogers and Smith when bowling poor deliveries.
DROPPED! Jimmy Anderson has put down an incredibly difficult chance, diving to stop a Smith pull-shot. AUS 3-82 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
3.28am - Steven Smith, who got off the mark with a whipped four off his hip, is settling in alongside Rogers but England continue to look threatening.
3.06am - WICKET! Clarke b Anderson 10; Australia 62/3 - Wonderful delivery! James Anderson finds just enough movement to hit the off stump of Michael Clarke, who was shouldering arms. England have their tail up now.
2.54am - That is glorious. Chris Rogers ends a lull in proceedings with a punched four down the ground off Tim Bresnan.
The Warner wicket before lunch was @JimmyAnderson9’s 600th international wicket for England in all formats #Ashespic.twitter.com/ql9VEGQRgQ
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) December 27, 2013
The trainer is on and Rogers will continue. Root and Broad quick to show concern there. Aus 41-2 #ashes
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) December 27, 2013
That's hit Rogers in the helmet! It wasn't that short and the opener ducks right into it. A bit of blood on the pitch! AUS 2-41 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
2.27am - Good stuff from England after the interval as Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes cause problems.
We're back from lunch, with Rogers and Clarke at the crease. Broad to start off with the ball. AUS 2-38 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
Morning Session
Watch highlights of the morning session from the MCG
1.33am - LUNCH! Australia 38/2; Rogers 16, Clarke 2 - Australia reach the break without further damage but England can reflect on a good end to the opening session.
1.25am - WICKET! Watson c Bairstow b Stokes 10; Australia 36/2 - Brilliant stuff from Ben Stokes. He has looked threatening in his opening over-and-a-bit, his reward coming as Watson inside-edges an ambitious drive to the wicketkeeper.
1.19am - A cut brings Shane Watson a second boundary amid Rogers playing solidly.
FOUR! Watson's off the mark with a glorious on-drive and mid-on can't cut it off. AUS 1-23 #Ashes
— CA Digital Media (@CricketAus) December 27, 2013
1am - WICKET! Warner c Bairstow b Anderson 9; Australia 19/1 - There's a breakthrough for England! Warner attempts to pull an Anderson delivery that was not short enough and sees a top-edge fly high in the air and offer Jonny Bairstow a simple chance.
12.46am - Both David Warner and Chris Rogers are moving, the former striking a straight and off-side boundary either side of the latter punching Anderson down the ground for four.
12.35am - Good start from James Anderson, who sends down an over that features a sole run. There was not too much movement in evidence, though.
England 1st Innings
With the new ball Mitchell Johnson bowled 9 overs 3 maidens 5 wickets for 18 runs #ashes
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) December 27, 2013
12.22am - WICKET! Panesar b Lyon 2; England 255 all out - A fine chip over mid-on off Nathan Lyon brings James Anderson four but his partner Monty Panesar is bowled shouldering arms a couple of overs later.
11.59pm - WICKET! Broad lbw Johnson 11; England 242/9 - Mitch grabs his fifth, trapping Broad - whom Harris dropped a return catch off in the previous over - plumb in front with a full delivery.
11.50pm - Good response from Stuart Broad, who edges and drives fours off Ryan Harris.
11.40pm - WICKET! Pietersen b Johnson 71; England 231/8 - Johnson strikes again! Pietersen backs away, misses a wild heave and is bowled leg stump.
11.35pm - WICKET! Bresnan c Bailey b Johnson 1; England 230/7 - Brilliant stuff from Mitchell Johnson, who takes just two deliveries to strike. After Kevin Pietersen's aerially-driven four over point represents the only runs of the day's first over, the left-arm paceman sends down a vicious throat ball that Tim Bresnan fends to short-leg.
Pre-Play News
11.25pm - All eyes will be on Pietersen but Tim Bresnan also has an important role to play against a nine-over-old ball.
11.15pm - Hello and welcome to ecb.co.uk's live coverage of the fourth Ashes Test. Day two will begin with England 226 for six and Kevin Pietersen unbeaten on 67.