Ashes 2017-18 fourth Test: Alastair Cook century puts England on top in Melbourne
Cook was unbeaten on 104 as the tourists ended the second day on 192-2, 135 runs behind Australia's first innings total.
Opener Alastair Cook scored his first Ashes ton since 2011 as England dominated with both bat and ball on the second day of the Boxing Day Test match against Australia at the MCG.
Starting the day on a promising overnight score of 244-3, the hosts added just 83 runs to be bowled out for 327 as Stuart Broad and James Anderson finished with figures of 4-51 and 3-61, respectively.
Cook, who had managed only 83 runs at an average of 13.83 in the first three Tests, brought up his 32nd Test hundred on a slow pitch to guide England to 192-2 at stumps.
The opener made the most of being dropped by Steve Smith at slip on 66 to end the day unbeaten on 104, ably supported by captain Joe Root, who was 49 not out.
Nathan Lyon caught Mark Stoneman off his own bowling while James Vince was trapped lbw by Josh Hazlewood, but Australia's attack lacked bite in the absence of the injured Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins being bothered by a stomach bug.
The hosts will rue their batting collapse in the first session, triggered by Tom Curran bowling out in the in-form Smith off an inside edge for 76 – the Surrey man's first Test wicket.
Chris Woakes removed Mitchell Marsh before Anderson – and a resurgent Broad – blitzed through the Australian lower order and tail. The hosts lost their last seven wickets for just 67 runs.
"We were very patient yesterday and got our rewards today," Broad told BBC Test Match Special. "Cookie's innings today was special and he knows the job is not done.
"Both of us on this trip haven't done as well as we would have liked but the game does go in swings and roundabouts. Things do turn eventually and that was evident with Cookie today. He had a positive mental attitude which showed."
Australia's Hazlewood felt his team had been "lazy" with the bat and had squandered an opportunity to post a first innings total in excess of 400.
"They are a little on top. We were a little inconsistent but it is a very good wicket. We could have bowled straighter and dried scoring up," he told ABC.
"We should have pushed on to 400-plus but we lost wickets early. We definitely left runs out there."
With Australia already 3-0 up in the series and having regained the Ashes, England must avoid defeat in at least one of the final two Tests to prevent a third 5-0 whitewash from their past four visits down under.
