England scythed through Australia's top order to leave the home side vulnerable at 76 for three at tea, after the tourists were dismissed for 302 earlier on day two of the series-opening Ashes test in Brisbane on Friday.

Steve Smith was 19 not out with Peter Handscomb on 14 after Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali and Jake Ball had grabbed a wicket apiece on a glorious day at the Gabba.

Opener Cameron Bancroft's first bat in his test debut lasted 19 balls as he was caught behind for five, nibbling at a Broad delivery.

Having replaced Matt Renshaw in the Ashes squad, a Queensland opener whose home ground is the Gabba, Bancroft's cheap dismissal was a bitter disappointment for local fans.

Number three Usman Khawaja survived a string of play-and-misses and nicked Broad between third slip and gully for four to get uneasily off the mark.

He was out for 11 shortly after, however, with Moeen trapping him lbw.

Warner added 29 fuss-free runs with Smith before he was out for 26 in surprising fashion, pulling paceman Ball straight to Dawid Malan at short mid-wicket in his second over.

Ball celebrated his first Ashes wicket wildly as Warner trudged off shaking his head with his team reduced to 59 for three.

But Shaun Marsh and Steve Smith put in a strong partnership to rebuild the innings and saw Australia to 165-4 at close of play on day two.

Earlier on day two, Australia spinner Nathan Lyon got his reward with two wickets as England suffered a middle order collapse.

Having moved to 246 for four, the tourists lost their last six wickets for 56 runs.

Lyon had been denied a wicket on day one but the offspinner trapped Moeen lbw for 38 and bowled Chris Woakes for a duck in quick succession.

Pat Cummins had Jonny Bairstow caught for nine by fellow wicketkeeper Tim Paine when skying a pull shot, before paceman Mitchell Starc removed Ball for 14 with Warner taking a brilliant catch at leg gully.

Broad was dropped on 10 by Shaun Marsh in the deep but he was out for 20 when he pulled Josh Hazlewood to Handscomb, bringing an end to England's innings.

Starc captured 3-77 and Cummins 3-85 for Australia.

Australia suffered an injury scare in the morning when Starc left the field after clattering into Marsh in a fielding mishap but the pace spearhead returned to have Malan miscue a pull shot to be caught for 56.

The wicket broke a stubborn 83-run partnership with Moeen, and triggered England's collapse.

Malan, who raised his third half-century in his sixth test, took to Starc with a couple of superb hook shots but was out during the paceman's next over attempting another, and Marsh took the catch at backward square leg.

Seven balls later, Lyon trapped Moeen in front and the decision was confirmed on review.

Woakes was out for a four-ball duck in Lyon's next over, attempting to slog the offspinner through the covers.

It was just reward for Lyon, who was denied a wicket on day one when wicketkeeper Paine grassed a nick behind by Vince.