Second Test, Day 1 (at Adelaide): Australia 245 all out (MEK Hussey 93, BJ Haddin 56, SR Watson 51) & England 1-0

England defied the Adelaide traditions by losing the toss but then bowling Australia out for just 245 to take the upper hand in the second Ashes Test.

A remarkable opening to the day saw the hosts crash to two for three before Shane Watson and Michael Hussey rebuilt with a stand of 94.

Brad Haddin added a half-century but the lower order crumbled. James Anderson led the way with four wickets for 51 before England openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook reached the close without alarm.

Expectations were high for a huge first-innings score at this ground synonymous with 500-plus totals over the first three days. Instead, England struck with the fourth ball of the match.

Anderson (three for 31) appealed for lbw against Watson and in the confusion Watson called Simon Katich through for a single - and Warwickshire's Jonathan Trott pounced for a direct hit from square-leg to run the left-hander out, without facing a ball.

Number three Ricky Ponting strode out, and trooped back off, in little more than a minute. Anderson, England's outstanding bowler and deserving of better figures in the drawn First Test in Brisbane, got an outswinger in the perfect spot to any new batsman.

Ponting pushed out and edged low to second slip, where Graeme Swann took a neat catch away to his left. It was Ponting's fifth golden duck in his 150th Test, and a major shock to this sell-out crowd.

In his next over, Anderson struck again - an out-of-form Michael Clarke edging an attempted drive to Swann.

Watson survived a DRS review for a front-foot lbw as simulation showed the ball was going over the top of leg-stump, vindicating umpire Tony Hill.

England would have had a fourth wicket anyway had Anderson managed to hold on to a one-handed return catch to his left when Hussey chipped a drive back - on three and with the team total still only 12.

The left-hander, who made 195 at the Gabba, also edged Anderson just short of Swann soon afterwards.

Otherwise, he and Watson began to show their liking for what appeared a slightly pacier pitch than many had anticipated but an even one too.

Watson found the boundary with increasing regularity, but kept the shot of the morning back until he launched a huge six off Swann's off-spin over wide long-on into the new Western Grandstand.

The opener's seventh four, a dismissive front-foot pull off Steven Finn, brought up his 82-ball 50 in the last over before lunch.

He was soon gone afterwards, though, thanks to Anderson - who again found just enough movement to have Watson spearing a cover-drive into the hands of Kevin Pietersen at point.

Marcus North, next in, has a reputation for vulnerability early in his innings but he is a dangerous opponent once set - and he gradually got to that point.

Hussey had just five fours in his 95-ball 50, but was manipulating the ball into gaps expertly - and he and North tried to grind England down in a stand of 62.

They appeared to target Finn as England's potential weakest link, farming him for six-an-over without undue risk, until the tall seamer got one to bounce and leave North off the pitch for a caught-behind breakthrough just before tea.

Hussey (93) and his new partner Brad Haddin shared a record triple-century stand at their last attempt in Brisbane.

This time, they put on 51 as England ploughed through those 'hard yards' they were warned about with the old ball down under.

It seemed Hussey was moving inexorably closer to the second of back-to-back hundreds - but Swann had other ideas, snaring the left-hander with a little turn and a sharp catch at slip by Paul Collingwood to end a 183-ball innings which had contained eight fours.

One ball later, Swann became the second man on a hat-trick so far in this series - Peter Siddle completed the feat at the Gabba - when he got through Ryan Harris' defences to the back leg. He won the lbw verdict after an interminable DRS process, with the hot-spot technology suggesting a slight inside edge.

Xavier Doherty blocked out the hat-trick ball but Haddin showed little faith in a vulnerable-looking Australian tail and set about swinging the bat.

He survived England's second and final review on 38 when he missed a slog-sweep replays showing he was hit outside the line by Swann.

Doherty soon fell to the second run-out of the innings, the victim of a superb diving pick-up and throw by Strauss at silly mid-on - via short-leg Cook - and his own hesitation.

Haddin brought up an 88-ball half-century by heaving Anderson over backward square leg for six.

Siddle played out a Broad maiden, raising enough confidence in Haddin for the keeper to take a single from the first ball of the next over - but the tail-ender immediately clipped Anderson straight to Cook to depart for three.

Haddin top-edged a hook to Finn at long leg to give Broad his only wicket and end the hosts' innings at 245, with his own personal contribution standing at 56. Anderson's four for 51 represented the pick of the England figures.

A leg bye from the first ball was the only run in the solitary over possible at the start of England's reply.

Haddin and Ponting both exchanged words with Strauss as the England captain and Cook walked off at the close of play.