England batsman Alastair Cook scored his maiden Ashes century to force the third Test into the final day and stall Australia's bid to wrap up the series on Sunday.
Updated at 3.30 pm
PERTH: England batsman Alastair Cook scored his maiden Ashes century to force the third Test into the final day and stall Australia's bid to wrap up the series on Sunday.
Cook held the Australian bowlers at bay for six and a half hours before departing just before the close for 116 as the tourists clawed their way to the close on 265 for five but still in deep trouble after starting the day on 19 for one.
Ian Bell also offered stubborn resistance with a fighting 87 and Kevin Pietersen was not out 37 at the end after Paul Collingwood made five and nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard no score.
England need to score a world-record fourth innings total of 557 to win the match or bat through the last day to salvage a draw and keep their Ashes defence alive after losing the first two Tests in Brisbane and Adelaide.
Scoreboard
Australia 1st Innings 244
England 1st Innings 215
Australia 2nd Innings 527 for 5 declared
England 2nd Innings
(Overnight: 19 for one)
Andrew Strauss lbw b Lee 0
Alastair Cook c Gilchrist b McGrath 116
Ian Bell c Langer b Warne 87
Paul Collingwood c Gilchrist b Clark 5
Kevin Pietersen not out 37
Matthew Hoggard b McGrath 0
Andrew Flintoff not out 2
Extras (4b, 3lb, 6w, 5nb) 18
Total (for five wickets) 265
Fall of wickets: 1 0, 2 170, 3 185, 4 261, 5 261.
Still to bat: Geraint Jones, Sajid Mahmood, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.
Bowling: Brett Lee 19 3 49 1 (1nb), Glenn McGrath 20 5 50 2 (4nb, 1w), Stuart Clark 17 5 31 1, Shane Warne 31 4 100 1, Andrew Symonds 9 1 28 0 (5w).
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Pakistan, Rudi Koertzen, South Africa.
Match referee: Jeff Crowe, New Zealand. TV umpire: Steve Davis, Australia.
Toss: Australia.
Australia leads the five-match series 2-0.
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