Australia chiselled out four key England wickets to take control of the fifth and final Ashes test on an absorbing third day at the Oval on Friday.
The hosts, replying to Australia's 492 for nine declared, lost Alastair Cook for 25, Joe Root (68), Jonathan Trott (40) and Kevin Pietersen (50) on the way to 247 for four.
Although rain is forecast for Saturday, Australia are in a strong position to claim a consolation victory and English hopes of winning a home Ashes series 4-0 for the first time look to be over.
Ian Bell was unbeaten on 29 and Chris Woakes on 15 at the close with England still trailing the touring side by 245 runs and needing another 46 to avoid the follow-on.
Cook and Root, resuming on 32 for no wicket, batted cautiously through the first hour under clear blue skies against tidy but largely unthreatening fast bowling.
Root produced two neat wristy flicks to the mid-wicket boundary and Cook drove Ryan Harris square for four but runs were generally hard to come by.
The pair had taken their opening partnership to 68, England's best of the series, when Cook nibbled at a wide ball from Harris just after the drinks break and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin took a diving catch.
The England captain swished his bat in frustration as his disappointing series continued and his dismissal sent Root into his shell.
The 22-year-old failed to score a run off 19 balls in a row but he pulled Peter Siddle for a single just before lunch to reach his half-century, made from 145 deliveries and including eight fours.
It was a welcome return to form for Root, who has struggled with the bat since making 180 in the second test at Lord's, and England took lunch on 97 for one.
Root hit two fours in James Faulkner's first over of the day but with a century firmly in his sights he swept at a full-length ball from off-spinner Nathan Lyon and top-edged a simple catch to Shane Watson at short fine-leg.
Pietersen got off the mark by driving Mitchell Starc for four through mid-off but the normally dynamic right-hander also struggled to find his touch.
Trott's first boundary came off the 78th delivery he faced and Pietersen's frustration was evident when, on 11, he attempted a suicidal quick single and was well short of safety when David Warner's throw narrowly missed the stumps.
Lyon, bowling round the wicket to imaginative field settings, extracted some turn which troubled both batsmen but they picked off easy singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Australia took the second new ball just before tea and Starc trapped Trott lbw with his first delivery, the batsman failing to get the decision overturned on review.
Pietersen and Bell continued to play risk-free cricket in murky conditions and the former flicked Faulkner to the fine-leg boundary for his fourth four to reach his fifty.
But he fell with the total on 217, tempted by a wide full-length delivery from Starc and edging a straightforward catch to Watson at first slip.
Woakes drove his first ball in test cricket sweetly through the covers for four and he looked assured at the crease on his debut.
Bell continued the sublime form which has brought him three centuries in the series, unleashing a couple of trademark drives through the covers in fading light before shutting up shop again in the closing overs of the day.
A hard day's worked for England. Two half centuries. England trail by 245. Eng 247-4 in 116 overs.
Bell reaches 29. England are 245 for 4 in 110 overs.
A fine knock from Pietersen comes to an end. Eng 221-4 in 101 overs.
KP Pietersen c Watson b Starc 50 (133b 4x4 0x6)
Pietersen reaches his half century with a boundary. Eng 213-3 in 99 overs.
England going painstakingly slow here. Eng 203-3 in 94 overs.
Pietersen on 39. Eng 200 for 3 in 90 overs.
England reach 188 for3 in 86 overs.
EVENING SESSION
England crawled painstakingly to 181 for three at tea on an attritional third day of the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia at The Oval on Friday.
Replying to Australia's 492 for nine declared in ideal batting conditions, England lost Alastair Cook for 25, Joe Root (68) and Jonathan Trott (40) to leave their hopes of winning a home Ashes series 4-0 for the first time hanging by a thread.
An unusually subdued Kevin Pietersen reached the interval on 29 not out and Ian Bell was on four with England still trailing the touring side by 311 runs.
Cook and Root, who resumed on 32 for no wicket, batted cautiously through the first hour under clear blue skies against tidy but largely unthreatening fast bowling.
Root produced two neat wristy flicks to the mid-wicket boundary and Cook drove Ryan Harris square for four but runs were generally hard to come by.
The pair had taken their opening partnership to 68, England's best of the series, when three balls after the drinks break Cook nibbled at a wide ball from Harris and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin took a diving catch.
The England captain swished his bat in frustration as his disappointing series continued and his dismissal sent Root into his shell.
The 22-year-old failed to score a run off 19 balls in a row but he pulled Peter Siddle for a single just before lunch to reach his half-century, made from 145 deliveries and including eight fours.
It was a welcome return to form for Root, who has struggled with the bat since making 180 in the second test at Lord's, and England took lunch on 97 for one.
Root hit two fours in James Faulkner's first over of the day but with a century in his sights he swept at a full-length ball from off-spinner Nathan Lyon and top-edged a simple catch to Shane Watson at short fine-leg.
Pietersen got off the mark by driving Mitchell Starc for four through mid-off but the normally dynamic right-hander also struggled to find his touch.
Trott's first boundary came off the 78th delivery he faced and Pietersen's frustration was evident when, on 11, he attempted a suicidal quick single and was well short of safety when David Warner's throw narrowly missed the stumps.
England edged to 150, off 431 balls, and when Pietersen drove a full toss from leg-spinner Steve Smith back over the bowler's head for four it was the first boundary for 11 overs.
Lyon, bowling round the wicket to imaginative field settings, extracted some turn which troubled both batsmen but they picked off a few easy singles to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Australia took the second new ball just before tea and Starc trapped Trott lbw with his first delivery, the batsman failing to get the decision overturned on review.
Australia get the breakthrough. Trott is out after a fine knock. Eng 176-3 in 80.1 overs.
J Trott lbw b Faulkner 40 (134b 2x4 0x6)
England are going strong at the moment. Partnership crosses 50. Trott on 39, Pietersen on 27. Eng 174-2 in 79 overs.
Partnership reaches44. Eng 161-2 in 76 overs.
Trott on 29, Pietersen on 12. Eng 145-2 in 68 overs.
England are 140-2 in 65 overs.
Two maiden overs for Australia. Eng 123-2 in 59 overs.
Pietersen opens his account with a boundary. Eng 123-2 in 57 overs.
Australia finally get a wicket after a long gap. Well settled batsman Root departs. Eng 118-2 in 54 overs.
J Root c Watson b Lyon 68 (184b 11x4 0x6)
England are 116-1in 52 overs.
Root reaches 65. Eng 113-1 in 50 overs.
Two maiden overs. Eng 105-1 in 47 overs.
Root gets two boundaries. That's a good sign after lunch. Eng 105-1 in 45 overs.
MORNING SESSION
Joe Root's patient fifty led England to 97 for one at lunch on the third day of the fifth and final Ashes test against Australia at The Oval on Friday.
Replying to Australia's 492 for nine declared in ideal batting conditions, Alastair Cook and Root took their opening partnership to 68, England's best of the series, before the captain fell for 25 nibbling at a wide ball from Ryan Harris.
Root dug in, however, to reach 52 not out at the interval with Jonathan Trott on nine, leaving the hosts 395 runs behind the Australians who are 3-0 down in the series.
Cook and Root, who resumed on 32 for no wicket, batted cautiously through the first hour under clear blue skies against tidy but largely unthreatening fast bowling.
Root produced two neat wristy flicks to the mid-wicket boundary and Cook drove Harris square for four but runs were generally hard to come by.
Three balls after the drinks break Cook played needlessly at a wide ball from Harris and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin took a neat diving catch.
The England captain swished his bat in frustration as his disappointing series continued and his dismissal sent Root into his shell.
The 22-year-old failed to score a run off 19 balls in a row but he pulled Peter Siddle for a single just before lunch to reach his half-century, made from 145 deliveries and including eight fours.
It was a welcome return to form for Root who has struggled with the bat since making 180 in the second test at Lord's.
Root gets his half century. A great and patient knock. Eng 97-1 in 44 overs.
Root on 42 from 133 deliveries. Australia bowlers doing a great job here. Eng 81-1 in 40 overs.
England are 78-1 in 38 overs.
Australian bowlers continue to keep it tight. Aus 77-1 in 36 overs.
Root reaches 40. He is focussing really hard. Eng 73-1 in 33 overs
Success finally for Australia. Big wicket of Cook. Eng 68-1 in 31.3 overs.
A Cook c Haddin b Harris 25 (88b 3x4 0x6)
Australia lose a review here. It shows they are desperate for a wicket. Aus 64-0 in 30 overs.
England are 59-0 in 28 overs.
Australian bowlers not giving away any loose deliveries. Runs coming hard. Eng 56-0 in 26 overs.
The openers share a 50-run partnership for the first wicket. Their first one so far. Eng 53-0 in 24 overs.
This time Cook has a boundary. A fine shot. Eng 43-0 in 21 overs.
Root gets a boundary. Good positive start for England. Eng 38-0 in 19 overs.
England have a tall task replying to Australia's strong first innings total of 492 for nine in the fifth Ashes Test .
The hosts began well not losing a wicket on the second day when they scored 32 before stumps were drawn.
Skipper Alastair Cook is batting on 13 while Joe Root is on 13.
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5th Ashes Test England v Australia 'live' cricket score, Day 3: England 247-4 in reply to Australia's 492
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