Ashes hopes suffered a explosive blow for Australia as the hosts crumpled to lunch at 4-58 on day one of the fourth Test at the MCG.
Invited to bat on a green-tinged pitch in overcast conditions, Australia's top order fell in quick succession with Shane Watson (5), Phil Hughes (16), Ricky Ponting (10) and Mike Hussey (8) all giving catches behind the stumps.
Rain ended the first session five minutes early with a nervous Steve Smith yet to score and Michael Clarke 12 not out.
The tourists dropped Steven Finn and recalled Tim Bresnan who was one of three successful bowlers in the opening session.
Chris Tremlett (2-23) gained prodigious bounce from the pitch as Watson popped an easy catch to Kevin Pietersen at gully in the fourth over.
Watson had been dropped twice in slips off the bowling of James Anderson before getting off the mark.
England captain Andrew Strauss called for a video review when Hughes was given not out for an appeal for caught-behind down leg-side by wicketkeeper Matt Prior off the bowling of Anderson with the score on 1-26.
The replay showed the ball had brushed the left-hander's hip, rather than his gloves.
The aggressive Hughes blazed an off-drive to gully where Pietersen held the chance off Bresnan's bowling at 2-37.
Ponting, who is playing despite a fractured little finger, was out next over as he offered a catch to Graeme Swann at second slip.
Tremlett thought he had his third wicket of the day later in the same over, appealing for a lbw decision against Hussey which was turned down by the umpire and also the third umpire as England blew their allotment of two unsuccessful video referrals for the innings.
In the penultimate delivery of the first session, Hussey poked a catch to Prior off the bowling of Anderson.
The series is level at one-all and Australia need to win the five-match contest to regain the Ashes.
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