Australia have been lashed from far and wide for a ridiculously slow over rate on the opening day of the Gabba Test.

The Aussies are now facing a serious penalty after managing just 74 overs on Thursday (despite an extra 30 minutes added), 16 overs short of the required 90.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Aussies face penalties for slow over rate.

Only a quick end to England’s first innings on Friday (in under six overs) will spare them, but they have still copped a barrage of criticism.

Former Australian star and Channel 7 commentator Simon Katich called the slow rate — which slumped to a minus-8 by stumps — “ridiculous”.

“To think we are going to get through an extra half-hour, so six and a half hours’ cricket, and we are going to get 74 overs in,” Katich said on SEN.

“It’s beyond a joke, an absolute joke.”

The Australians were left frustrated at the end of Day 1, unable to remove English star Joe Root (135) from the crease and tailender Jofra Archer (32).

The slow over rate meant they couldn’t get their hands on the second new ball, which they would have had access to after 80 overs.

Root and Archer had put together a 61-run partnership at stumps and pushed England’s first innings into a second day.

The absence of veteran spinner Nathan Lyon was part of the reason the rate dropped so significantly.

But captain Steve Smith spent a long time between overs — and even balls — adjusting the field, with some people suggesting it was a deliberate tactic to avoid batting at the end of a long day.

Fans were also outraged by the Aussies pathetic over rate.

“It’s unacceptable!” blasted former AFL star and radio commentator Daniel Harford.

Journalist Nic Negrepontis said: “Not to mention Smith wasting time to ensure they don’t have to bat tonight. Has cost them 20+ runs now and wasted everyone’s time.”

A fan said: “Bloody joke. Yet we ask Shield teams to bowl 96. Go figure.”

And another: “Don’t meet the over rate. Captain gets a 1 game suspension. Easy as that. Becoming a blight on the game.”

Another fan suggested penalty runs should be considered.

“The only way to fix this is to award penalty runs during the match. Must bowl 28+ overs per session. Australia bowled 24 and 23 in the first two sessions. (28-24) x 5 = 20 penalty runs (28-23) x 5 = 25 penalty runs. Add 45 runs to England’s score at tea. 196/4 becomes 241/4,” he said.

Former England fast bowler Steven Finn said Smith appeared to be deliberately slowing things up.

“Smith took a long time to set the field there … he’s now changing the field between balls,” Finn said on TNT Sports.

“Certainly strikes me that this is a good time for Australia to be delaying things. Means that if this last wicket does fall, each minute that goes by, it’s a minute that England won’t have that bright pink ball in their hand in these conditions.

“Definitely a tactic here, and the umpires should have a word with him. Every second that ticks by, Australia will have fewer seconds to bat this evening.

“It really is obvious.”