Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting bludgeoned England's bowling for centuries as Australia punished Nasser Hussain for putting the hosts into bat in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba in Australia today.
By stumps, the Australians had rattled along at more than four runs an over to be 364 for two and well on the way to building an insurmountable total for bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne to exploit.
Hayden and Ponting shared in a record Ashes partnership of 272 runs for the second wicket.
Hayden's rich vein of form continued with his sixth century in his last 10 Tests, and he was unconquered on 186 at the close with Damien Martyn, batting in Mark Waugh's No.4 spot, not out 9.
To cap a dreadful day for England, tyro fast bowler Simon Jones will be out of cricket for at least six months after rupturing knee ligaments in an ugly fielding mishap.
Although Australia dominated the opening day, England shot themselves in the foot with wayward bowling and shoddy fielding. Hayden was dropped three times..
"Our objective was to win the first hour this morning, we did that and that set up the day for us," said Ponting, whose chanceless 123 was his 13th hundred in his 60th Test match.
"There wasn't too many things that went wrong, we had a bit of luck along the way as well, a few dropped catches and a lot of misfields, so it was a perfect day as far as Australia was concerned".
England coach Duncan Fletcher said: "We didn't play good cricket today. The session before lunch was important, especially if your captain wins the toss and puts a side in, the discipline you must maintain, and also our fielding wasn't too good.
"It was a difficult decision to make [on the pitch], we thought at the time the pitch looked a little bit green and there might be something in it for our inexperienced bowling," he said.
PA