Glenn McGrath says Australia’s Test bowlers have, like their batsmen, failed to adapt to English conditions during what is developing as a disastrous Ashes campaign.

England are in an imperious position at 4-274 after an extraordinary first day of the fourth Test at Trent Bridge when they rolled Australia for just 60 in the 19th over before lunch.

And like Australia’s brittle batting, Australia’s pace attack simply hadn’t acclimatised to the different conditions, according to pace great McGrath.

McGrath thinks the bowling attack has failed to capitalise on the seam movement on offer that England quick Stuart Broad utilised so ruthlessly in a phenomenal spell of 8-15, and instead the Australians have been wrongly focussed on swinging the Duke ball.

“You look at the way Stuart Broad bowled, hitting the wicket top of off (stump), just outside,” he told the Cricket Australia website.

“I don’t think too many of our boys are doing that. They’re getting it up swinging, probably pitching it up a little bit too much and on a wicket that’s offering a little sideways movement.

“Unfortunately they haven’t adapted to the conditions, bit like the batsmen.”

McGrath hailed Broad’s skill in almost certainly ruining Australia’s Ashes series hopes on the ground where he plays county cricket for Nottinghamshire.

“I think it’s a wicket tailor-made for his style of bowling,” he said.

“He bowled perfectly. To start the match on 299 Test wickets, I think he really wanted to get that first one. That allows you to relax, get into it, enjoy it.”