‘Should make happy hour’: England’s ‘unacceptable’ Ashes woes roll on in 124-year low

England’s horror Ashes tour has rolled on with their Boxing Day Test batting collapse creating an unwanted 124-year low.

The visitors were dismissed for 110 – 42 runs behind Australia after a nightmare day one at the MCG that saw 20 wickets tumble.

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Not since the 1901/02 Ashes series has 20 wickets fallen in a single day at the MCG in an Australia-England Test.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes it’s a technical issue holding the visitors back in what’s been an unsettled tour Down Under.

“Cricket Australia might have to start doing some busking at this rate! These Test matches are finishing too quick!” Vaughan joked.

Looking at Jamie Smith’s wicket – where he was bowled by Scott Boland for 2, Vaughan said: “I just look at that front foot … it just gets trapped.”

“He can’t move back into the line or the pitch of the ball – it just stays in the same spot. So then he just has to push his hands forward.

“And his bat and pad are not closed together because of that movement.

“There’s been a few techniques that have been found a little bit wanting in Australia.

“And that’s for the players to go away and think and try and improve.”

England were bowled out for 110 in under 30 overs in a woeful effort on Friday, responding to Australia’s 152 from earlier in the day.

Given the Poms were bowled out inside 32 and 35 overs in the First Test in Perth, that’s now three innings where England have come up short.

“I think it was 10 times in the last 18 months they’ve been out in under 40 overs,” Fox Cricket’s Isa Guha said.

“That’s not acceptable,” former Aussie Test star Mark Waugh said.

“I think it’s a few technical issues with a lot of the batmen.

“Their footwork, they get caught on the crease a lot. There’s always gaps between bat and pad.

“You’re going to get good balls – we know that. But I think technically, there’s a lot of areas they could tighten up there.”

England skipper Ben Stokes fell to a “disappointing” shot when his side needed someone to stand tall and deliver.

The 126km/h first ball of Michael Neser’s second spell was enough to lure Stokes in. And he paid the price.

“He’d be disappointed with that Ben Stokes,” Waugh said.

“That’s a real nothing shot. That’s a Ben Duckett dismissal in Adelaide.”

Only Harry Brook (41) and Gus Atkinson (28) showed some fight as England headed into the sheds trailing by 42 runs on the opening day.

Stokes was the only other England batsman to reach double figures.

Not since 1951 have 20 wickets fallen in one day in a Test match in Australia.

The collapse comes after 19 wickets fell on day one in the First Ashes Test in Perth last month.