| Scores | Upcoming | Results |
Melbourne: England seamer Tim Bresnan, called in to replace Steve Finn, snared three wickets in the evening session to leave Australia reeling at 169-6 at stumps.
The beleaguered hosts hopelessly need to survive the match's remaining two days or conjure 246 runs to avoid becoming the first Australian team since Allan Border's in 1986-87 to surrender the urn on home soil.
Umpires decided against extending play by 30 minutes despite No.9 batsman Ryan Harris's inability to bat after he left the field in the first session with stress fractures in his left ankle.
Australia's futile batting line-up again failed miserably, although opener Shane Watson was productive once again, topscoring with 50.
The rot started when Phil Hughes was needlessly run out for 23. Watson nudged the ball to Jonathan Trott at cover, who collected perfectly and delivered an equally good throw to wicket keeper Matt Prior to leave the left-hander short.
It was a pointless dismissal and a gift to England.
Bresnan then snared the first of three key wickets starting with Watson, who was given out lbw for 50 after shouldering arms to a full ball shortly after tea.
Out-of-form captain Ricky Ponting's wretched series continued as Bresnan seamed a ball from wide on the crease that captured his inside edge and cannoned on to the stumps, sending him back to the sheds for a scratchy 20.
The skipper's downfall brought utter delight from the England team and triggered another Australian middle order capitulation.
Mike Hussey (0) blazed at a Bresnan delivery but picked out Ian Bell at short midwicket without adding to Australia's score.
Australia could have used the bowler-friendly conditions on the opening day as some sort of meagre excuse for their disgraceful first-innings total of 98.
But the third-day effort from England's bowlers in benign batting conditions re-instated the difference in class between the two bowling attacks.
Spinner Graeme Swann picked up the wicket of run-starved vice-captain Michael Clarke (13) via an Andrew Strauss catch at second slip.
And James Anderson brought victory within sight by bowling Steve Smith (38) late in the day.
Earlier, topscorer Trott remained 168 not out as England were bowled out on the stroke of lunch for 513, a lead of 415, the second biggest in Ashes history.
Crowd favourite Peter Siddle, the shining light for Australia, claimed six wickets in a lion-hearted effort. He produced the first two wickets for the day after England resumed at 5-444 on Tuesday morning.
Siddle had Matt Prior out for 85 when Ponting pouched a catch at mid-on before Tim Bresnan edged to wicket keeper Brad Haddin for four.
Another Haddin catch delivered swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus his first wicket and sent the pesky Swann on his way for a quick-fire 22.
Hilfenhaus doubled his wicket tally when he bowled Chris Tremlett (4), while Siddle drew the innings to a close by knocking over Anderson (1) to finish with 6-75 from 33 overs.
Brief scores
Australia 98 and 169 for 6 (Watson 54, Bresnan 3-26)
England 513 (Trott 168*, Prior 85, Cook 82, Strauss 69, Pietersen 51, Siddle 6-75)
Status Australia trail by 246 runs
