More from England's James Anderson.

On Tom Curran's no ball, he said:"There's not a lot you can say in that situation. To see the elation when he gets one of the best players in the world on debut and then to see the screen, it's tough, it's heartbreaking and you've got to learn the hard way sometimes.

"A ball later Warner gets his hundred and he was just showing his pleasure. Nothing out of the ordinary was said. Just a couple of interesting moments that could've gone either way

"To make your debut on a pitch like that is never easy and against a batting line up like that. Tom charged in all day and gave everything."

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

It looked to me like England bowled in the first 40 minutes like they knew it was going to be a long day and were saving themselves for spells two and three.

I am still waiting for England to start Test like did in the second innings at Adelaide. Having four seamers allows you to bowl quicker because you should not have to bowl as many overs.

They certainly didn't start the first hour like it was a desperate hour to win.

England did come back well in the afternoon session but once again there were question marks about how they started the day with the ball...

England debutant Tom Curran, speaking to BT Sport: "It was great to make my debut today. It is a proud day and there were a couple of ups and downs but it is a proud day. I found out I would be playing yesterday morning so it was a nice Christmas present.

"I asked the umpire before (the no ball) how close my foot was and he said half and half so I moved it a little bit forward so I was gutted. It was horrible - the worst feeling I've had but looking at the positive I get to get my first wicket twice.

"It was disappointing to bowl a no ball but other days things can go differently."

Image source, Getty Images

Good morning to those of you just waking up on Boxing Day. You've missed an odd but intriguing day of Test cricket...

Australia won the toss and batted and David Warner dominated the morning session. He almost single-handedly took his side to 102-0 at lunch on what looked set to be a thoroughly chastening day for England.

After Chris Woakes had Cameron Bancroft plumb lbw in the afternoon, Warner was closing in on an excellent century - only to be caught on 99 off Tom Curran. But it was a no ball! Warner reprieved and duly bringing up his 21st Test century a ball later.

In the end he added just four more runs. James Anderson had him caught behind as Australia added only 43 more runs in the second session with England fighting back admirably.

Stuart Broad removed Usman Khawaja cheaply after but Steve Smith (again) and Shaun Marsh steadied the Aussie innings, while England let the game drift away a tad through some strange tactics since tea.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Tom Curran has proven that, a young kid trying something. I would've questioned Stuart Broad's place in the side too but he's bowled well today, even though I'd like to see him come over the wicket to the left-handers more.

So in the end England's seamers did a reasonable job to fight back after that excellent opening session for Australia.

James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes all took a wicket while Tom Curran was arguably the pick of the bowlers.

He finished with figures of 17 overs five maidens no wickets for 44 runs on debut.

England bowler James Anderson, speaking to TMS: "It was a long day, we didn't start well or adjust to conditions. It was a flat, slow wicket and we bowled too many bad balls and let them get way.

"But the way we came back in the second session was very impressive. The pace of the pitch didn't help us, but we stuck to our task well and just didn't get the breaks at the end.

"It was not ideal to lose the toss but we were due to lose one. We're still in the game. We need to bowl really well with the new ball tomorrow to get some breakthroughs."

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

David Warner is fantastic. England have triggered his mindset into being negative with the way they've bowled this series. He's thought, 'I'll see off Broad and Anderson' and that's affected his game.

From the first over, Warner came out with more positivity and that's the best way he plays.

He's a wonderful player to watch when he bats like he did today.

I've always felt there is something there in thos pitch for the bowlers. Go back to 1998 and 2010 when it did plenty on the first day. You don't get too many draws at the MCG.

I can't see this Test match being a draw either so England are going to have to bat very well in their first innings.

The moment of the day was certainly those two balls around David Warner's century.

If you're just waking up, Warner was caught off Tom Curran for 99 only for Warner to be called back as he trudged off as replays showed Curran had bowled a no ball.

Image source, Getty Images

So Warner quickly turned around, made his way back to the crease and reached his 100 the very next ball.

At that point, the MCG went WILD.

Image source, Reuters

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

England were starting to just get back into the Test match with that period of pressure and some reverse swing.

But now Australia have got their captain in and set and already have 244 runs on the board. The pitch could start having some uneven bounce and those runs could be worth more down the line.

It was bizarre for England not to take that second new ball straight away. We saw as soon as James Anderson took it, it did a bit off the seam and beat the bat a couple of times.

Andrew Haines: Toothless England bowling attack in these conditions

In those middle overs of the day, in the afternoon and then shortly after tea, you felt as though England were right in the game.

The Aussies were 160-3 when Usman Khawaja was out but Smith and Marsh have added 84 to see their side through.

Michael Vaughan
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

The crowd got an intriguing day. They saw a tremendous hundred from David Warner, who came out and played with more aggression that he has in the rest of the series.

Cameron Bancroft struggled and I think he's got a real problem. With any movement, you'd fancy getting him out.

And that is that. Steve Smith just blocks out the final over.

The end of another intriguing day's play. After 102 runs were scored in that first session England probably would have taken only conceding 244 runs but definitely not the three wickets.

David Warner's century was excellent. The Tom Curran no ball moment was dramatic but once again Steve Smith and Shaun Marsh have made this Australia's day.

Not a lot from the first three balls...

Right this is likely to be the final over of the day.

What can Jimmy Anderson muster?

Image source, Getty Images

Making an early start to Boxing Day? Well you've missed an odd but intriguing day of Test cricket...

The hosts won the toss and batted and David Warner utterly dominated the morning session, helping Australia reach 102-0 at lunch on what looked set to be a thoroughly chastening day for England.

Chris Woakes had Cameron Bancroft plumb lbw but Warner was closing in on an excellent century - only to be caught on 99 off Tom Curran. But it was a no ball! Warner reprieved and duly bringing up his 21st Test century.

He added jst four more runs - James Anderson having him caught behind as Australia added only 43 more runs in the second session as England fought back admirably.

Stuart Broad removed Usman Khawaja cheaply but Steve Smith (of course) and Shaun Marsh have steadied the Aussie innings, while England have let the game drift away a tad through some strange tactics since tea.

The crowd has thinned right out now as we start the penultimate over. The first session was the David Warner show but since then it has been attritional stuff on this slow pitch.

Marsh and Smith aren't interesting in expansive strokes. The England bowlers will still be having nightmares about these two in March.

James Anderson is back for what will probably just be two overs before the close.

Wowser. That's a beauty. Nice and full and the ball moves away off the seam, leaving Smith groping at fresh air.

Now Jimmy does the same to Shaun Marsh. This second new ball is moving. What were England waiting for?!