Close Australia 356 for 3 (Langer 146*, Hayden 102, Waugh 62*) v England
Scorecard

There are many things a man can do with himself on Boxing Day, and the England team must have wished they were somewhere, anywhere, else after a day of leather-chasing in front of a gleeful throng at the MCG. Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden both made centuries as Australia plundered 356 for 3, the highest first-day score in any Melbourne Test, with Langer still there at the close on 146. Cold turkey with the in-laws has to be better than this.

England were reduced to four main bowlers when Alec Stewart's late withdrawal forced a reshuffle, but on an absolute belter of a pitch it wouldn't have made much difference if they'd had 11. After a subdued morning session, this was Australia at their merciless, incinerating best. In many ways Langer and Hayden were overshadowed by a storming cameo from Steve Waugh, who thrilled the crowd with an unbeaten 62 off only 78 balls. This was another day of toil and trouble for England, like Brisbane all over again – the only difference was that Australia won the toss this time.

Hayden dominated from the start with a typically murderous 102, his ninth Test century in the last 13 months, although he could have been out off his very first delivery, when he hooked Andrew Caddick airily for four. While Langer struggled with the zip and bounce of the impressive Steve Harmison – he was struck on the shoulder, under the arm and later flush on the helmet - Hayden pulled and hooked at every opportunity. He scored almost exclusively to leg, including two almighty sixes over wide long-on off Craig White either side of lunch. They sandwiched an up-and-over cut for six off Harmison over backward point.

Langer, having sweated it out in the morning, went to his first fifty of the series and began to enjoy himself. After a dry morning session of just 88 runs, he and Hayden went ballistic; at one point shortly after the break, 49 runs were plundered off only four overs.

Langer was especially harsh on Richard Dawson, mangling him for 48 runs off 37 deliveries between lunch and tea, including a four and a towering six off successive deliveries to move from 91 to 101. It was an assault that had a whiff of vengeance about it – Langer had not faced Dawson since being controversially dismissed by him in the second Test at Adelaide.

Shortly before Langer reached his hundred, Hayden, not for the first time in this series, fell to a touch of hubris, skying Caddick to John Crawley mid-off. Absurdly, even though it was a first-wicket record for Australia against England on this ground, a partnership of 195 was marginally below par: Hayden and Langer added 202 in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa on this ground last year.

The dismissal made little difference to the scoring rate as Ricky Ponting came in and stroked the ball around with a breezy, gum-chewing swagger. Then, from nowhere, he dragged the last ball before tea from White back onto his stumps – also not for the first time in the series - and was gone for 21 (235 for 2).

Damien Martyn was dropped on 4, a sharp chance to Michael Vaughan in the gully, but White had his man soon after with a skimming delivery that Martyn (17), driving on the walk, edged to Marcus Trescothick at first slip (260 for 3). White might not be able to buy a run but he is certainly keeping his end up with the ball: this was his 13th wicket of the series – almost double the next-best Englishman (Caddick with 7).

Waugh, exactly 17 years on from his Test debut, strode out to a huge ovation, but was greeted with less respect by Nasser Hussain. As at Adelaide, he immediately gave the incumbent batsman a single so as to get Waugh on strike against Harmison. Waugh's response was emphatic, with a cross-bat swat over cover off Harmison the first of three consecutive fours for him. It was feverish hitting, out of character for Waugh, but with a po-faced intent that suggested Hussain might have played a mind game too many.

As Langer dropped anchor, Waugh hit 10 fours in an acerbic 49-ball fifty. He was still there at the death, and his innings continued a remarkable recent run against England in Melbourne Tests. He made 94 and 26 (both not out) in 1994-95, and 122 and 30 (also both not out) in 1998-99. It's now 334 runs and 589 balls - not to mention 12 years - since England dismissed him here.

And in the last ten seasons of Boxing Day Tests, Waugh averages over 200 in the first innings. Opponents might be sick of the sight of him, but Australian fans wouldn't swap their Scrooge for anyone else in the world.

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Rob Smyth is assistant editor of Wisden.com.

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