England atoned for their heavy defeat in Perth in devastating fashion, blasting out Australia for just 98 on day one at the MCG.
James Anderson and Chris Tremlett each took four wickets as skipper Andrew Strauss' decision to ask Australia to bat paid off to perfection.
England's attack took full advantage of seamer-friendly conditions in front of a huge Boxing Day crowd, as the tourists moved closer to retaining the Ashes.
And with England's batsmen advancing to 157 without loss at the close, they look well set to claim the victory that would give them a 2-1 lead with just next week's Sydney Test to play.
It was little surprise when Strauss opted to bowl after winning the toss - his opposite number Ricky Ponting admitted he would have done the same - but Australia's collapse was little short of shocking.
The batsmen singularly failed to cope in ideal conditions for England's pace attack.
The ball moved around in the air and off the seam and the result was a full house of dismissals from edges either to wicketkeeper Matt Prior - six - or catchers in the slip and gully cordon.
Hapless Aussies
But the conditions were not completely to blame as Australia's hapless batsmen slumped to their side's lowest total against England on this ground - much to the delight of the England supporters in a huge holiday crowd.
Anderson (4-44) was the pick of an impressive bowling display, despite having no luck in his new-ball spell.
Tremlett (4-26) grabbed two of the first three wickets to fall, and Tim Bresnan - called up in place of Steven Finn - also got in on the act.
Opener Shane Watson was the first to depart after being dropped twice in his 12-ball stay.
Second slip Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen at gully both gave Watson a life off Anderson, but Tremlett quickly got England out of potential trouble with a brute of a delivery from just short of a length.
Phil Hughes never looked comfortable, falling to first-change Bresnan's seventh delivery of the series - crashing a drive on the up straight to Pietersen.
Excellent
Ponting had reached 10 when Tremlett - switched to the Southern Stand end - got another to spit and take the splice for an excellent catch high at second slip by Graeme Swann.
Ponting has made just 32 runs in his last five innings and much depended on Australia's next pair, Michael Clarke and the previously prolific Michael Hussey.
Strauss brought Anderson back just before lunch at the Members' end, and he delivered a telling blow when Hussey almost immediately edged a swinging delivery behind to make it 58-4, before rain brought an early lunch.
But England continued where they left off after the break, with the next four wickets falling for just 11 runs.
Anderson was still moving the ball superbly in the air and off the pitch and finally got the rewards he deserved as Steve Smith, Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson all edged behind.
Bresnan had Brad Haddin nicking to slip when he went after a slightly wider ball.
It was only a matter of time before the last two wickets fell in similar fashion, as the hosts even failed to get into three figures.
Advantage
It was important that England hammered home their advantage by getting off to a decent start with the bat and Strauss and Alastair Cook duly obliged, although not without some alarms.
Cook took full advantage of the review procedure after being given out lbw to Hilfenhaus with the score on 70, the video replay showing a thick inside edge.
When they took the score beyond 98 it was the first time that England's openers had given their side a first innings lead against Australia since 1912. And they continued on to 157, advancing the lead to 59 by the close.
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