BRISBANE (Reuters) - England paceman Stuart Broad ignored the jeers, chants and catcalls of a hostile Gabba crowd to take five wickets and leave Australia clinging on at 273 for eight on the first day of the first Ashes Test on Thursday.

Cast as a villain in Australia after his failure to walk at Trent Bridge earlier this year, Broad skittled Australia's top order with his first four wickets and returned with the second new ball to end a Brad Haddin-inspired rearguard.

"After losing the toss on what looked like a fantastic batting wicket and to get eight wickets in that day, the guys are tired in there but they are absolutely delighted," Broad told reporters. "We probably weren't at our best but if you'd given us 260 for eight at the start of the day we'd have snapped your hand off."

Australia came into the match boasting of a renewed confidence but a batting collapse from 71 for the loss of a single wicket to 132-6 looked like very much like their performances in the 3-0 defeat in England earlier this year.

Haddin bucked that trend, however, sharing a 114-run seventh wicket stand with Mitchell Johnson (64) and was unbeaten on 78 when stumps were drawn. He will resume on day two with Ryan Harris, who had scored four.