The day started with a happy sense of deja vu for England.

By stumps on day two of the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, the shellshocked visitors were gripped with a feeling they would much rather forget.

Hours after again reducing Australia to what seemed an inadequate first innings total, England at one stage lost 6-9 – their worst Test batting collapse in 23 years – to be routed for 136.

Suddenly Australia’s 295 first innings dig looked pretty good.

As did Australia’s sometimes maligned bowling gameplan.

A fired-up Mitchell Johnson (4-61) overcame early yips to bowl with venom and spark England’s fifth biggest Test collapse and worst since they lost 6-3 in Melbourne 1990.

It was England’s lowest Gabba Test total since being reduced to 79 in November 2002.

And only nine runs were compiled from England’s fourth to eighth wicket – their second-lowest ever since six were scored against the West Indies in 1954.

It was a remarkable collapse at a venue they amassed 1-517 on their last visit three years ago – their highest second-innings total in a Test match in Australia.

It was almost enough to silence the Barmy Army – almost.

They had plenty of ammunition early when a misfiring Johnson lived up to their infamous “he bowls left, he bowls right, Johnson’s bowling’s shite” singalong from the stands.

But Johnson was quickly on song after opening his account by nabbing Jonathan Trott caught behind with a vicious short ball to reduce England to 2-55 and prompt lunch to be called.

Losing early wickets was nothing new to England who regularly found themselves three down in the last Ashes series.

But this time the man who proved the difference in their 3-0 series win in England – Ian Bell – did not stand tall.

Bell – who amassed 562 runs at 62.44 against Australia earlier this year – was caught at bat-pad for five as Johnson’s unlikely sidekick, off-spinner Nathan Lyon (2-17), nabbed two wickets in as many balls.

The script could not have been written better when public enemy No.1 Stuart Broad strode out to face the hat-trick ball.

Three years ago Broad was Peter Siddle’s hat-trick victim in the drawn Gabba Ashes Test.

And the Gabba faithful could not think of a more fitting scalp after Broad had embraced the role of villain since refusing to walk in a key knock in England’s first Test win at Trent Bridge in July.

Fresh from taking 6-81 in Australia’s first innings, Broad again proved a thorn in the host’s side by surviving Lyon before compiling a stubborn 32 but it was England feeling the pain by stumps.

Opener Michael Carberry (40) also provided resistance.

Australia’s attack suddenly looked like they could help extend a 25-year unbeaten Gabba run.

Still, some needed a little more convincing.

“Don’t worry England will be 517 for 1 in the 2nd innings..!,” ex-England Test skipper Michael Vaughan tweeted.