BBC Test Match Special: A dangerous partnership is broken

Jason Gillespie proved the hero for the home side - taking five wickets for 88 runs and prompting yet another lower-order collapse.

Graeme Hick and Mark Ramprakash resumed their partnership after dominating the crease late on Sunday.

Hick, particularly, had batted well smashing a rapid 42 and hitting Jason Gillespie for 17 in the same over with two sixes, one four and a single.

And his form continued on the third day - sweeping and pulling Damien Fleming and Glenn McGrath to move to 68.

BBC Test Match Special: A dangerous partnership is broken

But after topping a quicker ball from Fleming just short of long-leg for four he was then beaten by Gillespie with Ricky Ponting taking a straightforward catch at third slip.

Dominic Cork then started confidently alongside Ramprakash, settling in quickly at the crease to take England's lead past the 80-mark.

But Gillespie again provided the wicket - with Cork judged leg-before on 16 as he moved in front attempting to play through mid-wicket.

With Hick and Cork having been dismissed, England's hopes of an implausible draw were abandoned.

And when Gillespie took England's last three wickets in five balls - Alex Tudor caught behind for nought, Darren Gough given lbw first ball and Alan Mullally bowled for a duck - it left England wondering just how they hope to compete against an undoubtedly superior side.

Stoic effort

The tourist's bowling attack had battled hard for the breakthrough on the second day and when it came it shattered the Australian middle and lower orders.

England, defending a dismal first innings total of 112, dismissed the last six Australian batsmen for 31 runs in 39 balls with Test debutante Tudor grabbing figures of four for 25.

It left the tourists only 128 runs behind Australia - a considerable feat - but any thoughts of saving the match were quickly dispelled when the England batting attack folded immediately in an all too typical fashion.

Fleming tore through England's upper order, dismissing Mark Butcher for one, Michael Atherton for 35, Nasser Hussain for one and captain Alec Stewart for a duck.

Ramprakash and John Crawley then battled for just over an hour before Colin Miller tempted Crawley into a disastrous shot to Langer for 15.

Scorecard:

England first innings 112 all out (Fleming 5-46)

England Second innings:

M Butcher c Ponting b Fleming 1
M Atherton c Taylor b Fleming 35
N Hussain lbw Fleming 1
A Stewart c Taylor b Fleming 0
M Ramprakash not out 47
J Crawley c Langer b Miller 15
G Hick c Ponting b Gillespie 68
D Cork lbw Gillespie 16
A Tudor c Healy b Gillespie 0
D Gough lbw Gillespie 0
A Mullally b Gillespie 0

Extras 8
Total: (for nine wickets, 68 overs) 191

Fall: 1-5 2-11 3-15 4-40 5-67 6-158 7-189 8-189 9-189

Bowling: McGrath 26-10-47-0; Fleming 19-7-45-4; Gillespie 15.2-2-88-5; Miller 10-4-11-1

Australia first innings: 240