England lost the wickets of Joe Root and Kevin Pietersen to lurch to 66 for three at first-hour drinks in reply to Australia's declaration of 570 for nine.
The tourists, already one down in the series and resuming at 35 for one, succumbed to early Australian pressure.
Root showed plenty of application in the opening half-hour before he lashed out on the first ball he faced from spinner Nathan Lyon.
He got a top edge to a slog sweep outside off-stump and skied high to deep backward square leg where Chris Rogers took the catch.
Root, elevated to number three after Jonathan Trott returned home with a stress-related illness, batted for 113 minutes for his 15, but he paid dearly for his error of judgment.
Pietersen, who scored 227 on his last bat in the corresponding Adelaide Test three years ago, only lasted 12 balls before he was on his way inside the first hour.
Pietersen survived a review for a catch behind off Peter Siddle before he had scored, but the paceman got him in the 35th over.
Pietersen clipped the ball to mid-wicket where George Bailey took a splendid juggling catch on the third attempt to be out for four.
Opening batsman Michael Carberry was getting behind the ball and showing plenty of resolve to be unbeaten on 41 at drinks.
Australia's pace duo of Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris conceded only five runs in the day's opening six overs, with the first boundary by Root not coming until the first half-hour of play.
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