Australian captain Michael Clarke’s decision to send England to the crease appears to have paid off as the fourth Ashes Test kicked off in Melbourne on Thursday.
Clarke won the toss and opted to bowl, a move that saw the visitors limp to a total of 6-226 in front of 91,092 after day one of action.
Kevin Pietersen carried the load for England for much of the day, but it was once again the form of the Australian pace attack that provided the standout performance.
Mitchell Johnson claimed two wickets for 59 runs, and peaked at speeds of 155 km/h, claiming the final two wickets of Ben Stokes (14, caught at slip) and Jonny Bairstow (10).
The Aussies missed a number of prime opportunities, dropping three catches. Pietersen survived the day on 67, but was given a couple of lifelines when he was put down by fielders Nathan Coulter-Nile and George Bailey.
Coulter-Nile entered the fray when Shane Watson (1-11) was forced from the MCG during his seventh over, but returned later after overcoming groin pain.
Coulter-Nile’s cameo was one the 26-year-old will want to quickly forget. Having caught Pietersen for 10 near the boundary at deep backward square leg, Coulter-Nile, thinking he was falling over the rope, launched the ball over his head…for six.
“I don’t think he realised how close to the rope he was,” Channel Nine commentator Michael Slater said.
“He threw it in the air but not in the right area. It’s a big blunder and a big let-off for Pietersen. ”
Ryan Harris also had a successful day with the ball, taking 2-32, and believed Clarke’s decision to take the ball was the right one.
“Six wickets, we dropped three catches, they were tough catches. We were ready to go and there was a little bit of moisture (in the pitch) this morning,” Harris told ABC.
“We started off okay this morning .. but we fought back and 6 for 226 at the end of the day is pretty good.
“We dropped a couple of chances, a couple of tough chances we probably should have had.
“But six down, we’re happy with that. We’ve got four in the morning to get. If we get them out reasonably quickly for 270 or 300, we’ll be happy.”
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