Talking points from day one of the Boxing Day Test

STUART Broad was taken to the cleaners for an “embarrassing” moment on Boxing Day as legends called for his axing.

English bowler Stuart Broad appeals to the umpire for the wicket of Shaun Marsh of Australia on Day One of the Boxing Day test match between Australia and England at the MCG in Melbourne, Tuesday, December 26, 2017. (AAP Image/Joe Castro) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY, IMAGES TO BE USED FOR NEWS REPORTING PURPOSES ONLY, NO COMMERCIAL USE WHATSOEVER, NO USE IN BOOKS WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT FROM AAP

A DAVID Warner masterclass capped off a dominant day for the Aussie cricket team as they began to put England in a compromising position for the Boxing Day Test.

Trailblazing skipper Steve Smith made his way to another Test match fifty with Shaun Marsh building a partnership up the other end.

The home side sits at 3/244 at stumps with Smith on 65 and Marsh on 31 overnight.

Here are the biggest talking points from the day’s play.

BROAD SLAMMED FOR ‘COWARDLY’ ACT

Stuart Broad wasn’t keen on David Warner reaching his ton.

When David Warner is smoking shots towards a Boxing Day century, there’s not much you can do to stop the locomotive — except bowl rubbish.

While trying to stem the runs as the Aussie opener entered the 90s, English quick Stuart Broad chose to bowl a series of wide deliveries on the off-side out of his opponent’s reach.

Fans around the world blasted the veteran seamer’s tactics on Twitter as Warner faced the over.

Warner kept a level head and left each delivery alone before bringing up his ton in equally controversial fashion.

Broad, who has underperformed for England this series, bounced back with his first wicket in 414 balls in the evening session, sending Usman Khawaja back to the shed with 17 after nicking a ball through to Jonny Bairstow.

The only way to stop David Warner reaching his century https://t.co/pswSdGb4Wo #Ashes pic.twitter.com/IOgL8bOzUZ

— telegraph_sport (@telegraph_sport) December 26, 2017

Cowardly over by Broad. Warner can wait for his 100, but what’s the point of bowling if you’re not even trying for a wicket? #ashes

— Shana Morgan (@shana_morgan) December 26, 2017

Embarrassing stuff from Broad there

— David Sigston (@dasigston) December 26, 2017

Pathetic over from Broad. #ashes

— Rick Eyre on cricket (@rickeyrecricket) December 26, 2017

CHAOS STRIKES ON 99

The moment Warner thought he threw it all away.

David Warner turned the MCG into his playground as he plundered the English attack on his way to his 21st Test match century.

The Aussie vice-captain was pumping balls around the ground for two sessions before disaster struck an inch before reaching triple figures.

Warner almost became a member of the dreaded 99 club after debutant Tom Curran caught the 31-year-old by surprise with a short ball, forcing him to edge it into the hands of Stuart Broad at mid-off.

But as Warner departed the crease in despair, the umpires went upstairs to check for the no-ball. Curran was deemed to have overstepped the line, halting his maiden wicket celebration immediately as Warner was called back to the crease.

The Aussie opener had no trouble with the next ball, turning another short delivery to the leg-side and jumping for joy as he brought up his ton.

‘INSANITY’: LEGEND WANTS TO AXE BROAD

Joe Root ‘missed a trick’ in keeping Stuart Broad in the side, according to Michael Vaughan.

England’s day started off slow as Australia cruised through the morning session with David Warner and Cameron Bancroft bringing the home side through to lunch at 0/102.

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan said current skipper Joe Root “missed a trick” going into Boxing Day after making just one change to the side.

Tom Curran, who replaced injured seamer Craig Overton, was the only fresh man in the defeated team fighting to avoid another whitewash.

“England have lost 9 out of 13 away from home over the last two years,” he said. “They have gone pretty much with the same team. I would have changed it up.

Vaughan said he would have dropped Stuart Broad for the historic MCG clash in favour of new blood in the attack.

“You get to that stage as a captain and as a leader where you have to send a message to the group,” he said. “I personally wouldn’t have played Stuart Broad this week. As a leader that would have been my message to the group.

“He hasn’t bowled well enough in 2017 and he’s averaging over 40. That was an opportunity missed for Joe to send a message to the group. No one is safe, but at the moment in this England side, it is quite a safe environment.”

Definition of insanity ‘doing the same thing over & over again and expecting things to change’ !!!!!!!! #Ashes

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) December 26, 2017

WARNER, BAIRSTOW GET STUCK IN

David Warner and Jonny Bairstow were spotted by the Channel 9 cameras exchanging angry sledges in a heated moment as the Aussie celebrated his hundred at the MCG.

Channel 9 commentator Mark Nicholas said he believed the two were snarling at each other after debutant Tom Curran got lippy with the Aussie opener.

Nicholas said the vision appeared to show Curran saying something to Warner as he celebrated scoring his hundred one ball after Curran had him caught off a no-ball.

The cameras then showed Warner gesturing towards Curran before Bairstow entered the fray, exchanging several verbal barbs with Warner as he walked to keep at the other end at the change of over.

“My guess is that Tom Curran said something to him,” Nicholas said.

“Warner probably said, ‘Hang about, who are you? You’ve just arrived. Don’t give me a hard time, mate. I just got a hundred. How many have you got?’

“And then the other England players decided to come in, Bairstow particularly, and Warner wasn’t going to have any of it.”

— Tyson Otto