Live Commentary: The Ashes: Third Test, day three - as it happened

Hello everyone. It all looked good for England midway through day two but the hosts produced their best form once again to take control of the third Test. England will begin the day on 180-4, trailing their rivals by 205 runs.

In truth, England need to win this match. It's going to be difficult from this position but they certainly are not out of the game. Ian Bell and Ben Stokes need to produce a big partnership today.

Australia's tail performed impressively yesterday to post 385, which is above the average for Tests at the WACA. England needed to dominate with the bat and they started well, with Alastair Cook (72) showing signs of form. Michael Clarke's bowlers kept it tight and they rewarded for their pressure.

We're almost at the halfway stages in this series and it's going take something special for Australia to be denied victory. What has changed since the summer for this team? Coach Darren Lehmann knows the contest isn't over yet, but some of the Australian papers have already claimed the series is finished.

England have to get close to Australia's total to keep their hopes alive in this game. They start the day 205 runs behind, which means that Bell, Stokes and Matt Prior all need to contribute with the bat.

The second new ball is just 12 overs away. If Australia can take a wicket before it arrives, they'll fancy their chances of dismissing the tourists cheaply.

It's another hot day in Perth, with temperatures well over 40C already. England need to keep the Australian bowlers out in the difficult conditions. James Anderson and Stuart Broad will not be happy if they're bowling again early today.

It is certainly a cliche but the first session is going to be very important. If Bell and Stokes can handle the threat of the second new ball, runs should come easily as the day goes on.

A big factor in this series so far has been the batting performances down the order. England's tail has struggled to play Mitchell Johnson, who hasn't taken a wicket in his previous 10 spells. The tourists are a much stronger side when Broad and Swann can chip in with quick runs.

Play is just over five minutes away at the WACA. There's no more excuses for England. Bell has the quality to produce a big score and Stokes will gain a lot of confidence if he can start the day strongly.

Here we go then. The players are heading out of the dressing rooms for the first session on day three. England will resume on 180-4, 205 runs behind the hosts. Bell 9* Stokes 14*

Ryan Harris, who removed Michael Carberry yesterday, is going to bowl the first over. Clarke will be desperate to see his side claim an early wicket. Bell on strike. Play!

There's some early signs of swing for Harris, who hangs the first ball outside off-stump. A thick edge beats Warner at gully and Bell picks up the first two runs of the day. Harris finds the perfect length to beat the outside edge as Bell targets cover with the drive. The batsman ends the over by flicking four runs through fine-leg. Johnson will take the ball from the other end. Bell 15 Stokes 14*

Stokes starts his scoring for the day by pulling Johnson through mid-wicket for two. The Durham all-rounder leaves well outside off-stump, just like he did yesterday. A push through the covers brings two more. The cracks are beginning to widen but we've not seen many balls misbehave yet.

REVIEW! Big appeal from the hosts when Harris nips one back to hit Bell's pad. Marais Erasmus shakes his head but Clarke decides to use a review...

Big moment in this match early on day three. England needed Bell to produce a score but he's forced to depart when Hawkeye shows that the ball would have went on to hit the stumps. Great use of DRS by Clarke. Australia are delighted. Prior in next.

Prior found some form in the second Test but he needs to fire when it matters most today. A couple of defensive efforts are followed by a push to cover for one. A wicket and a run from the over. Superb once again from Harris.

Shot! Prior punishes a wider one from Johnson to power a cut to the rope for four. You can't bowl there to Prior. Clarke isn't happy with his bowler. A couple of men go out on the hook. Johnson then fires in a bouncer, which Prior plays well by dropping his hands and leaning back. Johnson attempts the yorker but Prior digs the ball out, before seeing the final delivery of the over pass his outside edge. The second new ball is just eight overs away. Stokes 18* Prior 5

Stokes looks solid in defence again early in the over but he almost gets himself in trouble when he misses with a drive. That shot brings a reaction from the slips, who are desperate to put the rookie off his game. Maiden from Harris.

Johnson follows a good short ball with a full delivery, which Prior clips through mid-wicket for a couple of runs. The cracks finally make an impact as the ball hits the pitch before leaving Prior and Haddin helpless. England take the opportunity to sneak a bye.

No crack needed on this occasion as Stokes departs after edging a loose drive to Haddin, who takes an easy catch. Johnson takes his first wicket of the match. Tim Bresnan in next. England in trouble.

That was Johnson's first wicket for 41 overs and it's a very important one. Bresnan can make an impact coming in at eight but he'll be greeted by the second new ball soon. Harris keeps the pressure on in his over with some excellent bowling. Prior adds one run to the total and Bresnan gets off the mark with three to deep mid-wicket.

Bresnan sits deep in his crease to guide Johnson into the off-side for one. The seamer gets one to hold its line and beat Prior's outside edge. Johnson is then punished for drifting one down the leg-side, with four leg-byes being added to England's total.

Harris comes out of the attack with the new ball just four overs away. Shane Watson is the replacement and he starts with a maiden. Bresnan isn't threatened in the over, though. England trail by 178. We're going to see Siddle replace Johnson. Prior 8* Bresnan 4*

Siddle begins with a couple of superb deliveries to beat Prior's bat by an inch on two occasions.

Siddle finds the edge with the third ball of the over as Prior, who was attempting a pull shot, delivers a thin bottom edge to Haddin. The seamer has now removed Prior 11 times in Test cricket. It's turning into another very good session for Australia.

Broad is the new batsman and he ducks out of the way of his first two balls. A nudge off the back foot means he will keep the strike for the next over. Superb start from Siddle.

Broad plays down the wrong line as Watson beats the bat at the start of the over. The all-rounder can't resist having a few words when he gets Broad dodging some sharp bouncers. Shot! Good response from Broad when he reaches the rope with a superb back-foot drive.

Bresnan takes advantage of a loose delivery from Siddle to cut four runs through the off-side. A single is added when Bresnan guides a bouncer past short-leg. The new ball is available. Will it be taken immediately? We'll find out soon. It's time for a drinks break.

It looks like the new ball will not be taken yet. Johnson is warming up but Watson will continue after the break.

Watson goes too full at the start of the over and Bresnan finds the middle of the bat to earn four through extra cover. There's an immediate response from Clarke as the hosts take the new ball. It doesn't make a difference to Bresnan, who fires the harder ball to the rope for eight more runs with two excellent drives. 12 off the over. Johnson is coming on now. Bresnan 21 Broad 5*

Johnson starts with a couple of shorter balls and Broad then fails to pick the fuller delivery when it does arrive, making the lbw decision an easy one for Billy Bowden. The umpire does check the new ball but a replay shows Johnson got something behind the line. Australia all over the tourists again.

Swann manages to survive the over, with Johnson completing a wicket maiden. Superb from the seamer.

Harris returns to the attack searching for his third wicket of the innings. Bresnan nearly becomes his latest victim when he misses with a loose drive. Harris is agonisingly close to catching the glove with one that nips back slightly. It's a maiden. England trail by 156.

Swann doesn't enjoy the short ball and he wisely ducks under a fierce bouncer from Johnson. The ball nips past the outside edge again, with Swann becoming the latest batsman to attempt a wild drive. Johnson comes around the wicket but loses his length and Swann gets off the mark with four through extra cover.

Bresnan, just like Carberry yesterday, isn't sure whether to play or leave and he's made to pay as Haddin takes a simple catch off the face of the bat. Harris has three wickets. Just Anderson left.

The excitement of that wicket falling was ruined by the umpires checking the no-ball. It wasn't even close from Harris. No need to have a replay. 30 minutes left in the session. Australia look set to be batting before lunch. Harris completes a wicket maiden.

Johnson asks the question of Swann with a some short balls but the seamer isn't accurate enough in the over to force a false shot. Swann picks up four runs with a sliced drive past point.

REVIEW! Big appeal for caught behind from Harris but Haddin's reaction suggests any noise was pad. Clarke decides it's worth using a review at this stage but the replays prove there was no bat involved and the impact with the pad stays with the umpire's call. Anderson gets off the mark with a quick single on the off-side. Shot! Swann continues to battle and he moves to 12 not out with a straight drive for four. Harris is punished with a no-ball for a high full-toss and Swann takes advantage by steering four more to the rope. The seamer gets a warning from the umpires. 11 scored off the over. England trail by 137. Swann 17* Anderson 1

Siddle returns to search for the final wicket. Swann gets off strike by awkwardly working a short ball into the leg-side for one. Anderson flicks a run through fine-leg. Swann seems to have been hurt by Siddle's bouncer earlier in the over, but he's fine to continue after a visit from the physio. It's his bowling hand that took the blow. England fans will have every finger crossed.

LUNCH: Siddle ends with 3-36 as he removes Anderson, who fends a bouncer straight to Bailey at short-leg. What a superb performance from the hosts in the first session. The umpires decide to take an early lunch. England trail by 134.

How can England recover from this position? Australia are in complete control again and they'll be confident when they start their second innings after lunch. Siddle, Harris and Johnson all superb with the ball.

We'll join the players by taking a break for around 30 minutes. Australia are edging closer to a series victory. Make sure you return for the second session.

Welcome back everyone. Another session of Australian dominance has given the hosts full control of the third Ashes Test. England seem to have no answer at the moment. Just when it seems like the tourists are starting to find form, the Australian bowlers hit back. David Warner and Chris Rogers will begin the second innings with a lead of 134.

Johnson has been stealing the headlines in this series but it's not been a one man show. Siddle (3-36) and Harris (3-48) were both superb and it's the variation in the Australian bowling attack that seems to be causing England so many problems.

England really needed a win from this Test match. The deficit may be only 134, but they now face a tough test just to avoid losing the series in Perth.

The players are back out in the middle. Cook has his team in a circle for one final chat before Australia's second innings begins. It's simple enough. England have to bowl the hosts out very cheaply. Executing that plan is not so simple.

Anderson will open the bowling from around the wicket. England need an early breakthrough. Rogers on strike. Play!

Australia can be confident of scoring quickly on what still looks to be a very good pitch. Warner, in particular, will be positive. Rogers isn't required to put bat on ball in the first over. Maiden.

Here's a bit of a surprise. Broad isn't taking the new ball with Anderson. In fact, he's off the pitch at the moment. That's a big worry for the tourists. Bresnan will bowl the second over.

Warner's intentions are clear as he attacks the first ball but a miscued pull shot doesn't bring a run. Close! Two more wild shots follow. The second one, a cut shot, sends the ball just past the stumps and to the rope for four. Warner gets lucky there. We're going to see some fireworks.

Broad is limping around in the practice area at the Perth. He's having a fitness test to see if he can bowl. It appears that he was hurt when being struck on the foot by the ball that dismissed him from Johnson. England need him out there.

Rogers certainly isn't approaching his innings in the same way as Warner. The Middlesex veteran plays out another maiden to Anderson.

One piece of good news for England is that Swann is at second slip after he took a blow on the finger while batting in the first session. Warner picks out the fielders with a couple of firm shots. Good over from Bresnan. Just one single scored to fine-leg.

Anderson starts a new over by coming over the wicket to Warner, who watches one nip past his outside edge. The batsman then drives a fuller ball over cover for four runs. There's a few signs that the cracks might be starting to have an impact but Warner safely plays out the over. Broad has finished his fitness test but it doesn't look good at the moment.

Rogers is off the mark with a push down the ground for a couple, before shuffling across the crease to nudge a run into the leg-side. Warner attacks the short ball to earn a couple to deep square-leg. Five from the over. There's a few words exchanged between Prior and Warner. Plenty of finger pointing, too. Warner 11 Rogers 3*

UPDATE: Bad news for England. Broad is off to have an x-ray on his foot, so the tourists are one bowler down.

Rogers gets enough on a bouncer to collect a single to fine-leg. Prior isn't holding back as he directs a few more words at Warner, who should be expecting the sledging after the all he has said in this series. The opener gets back to business by running well to collect two from a nudge through square-leg. Warner 13 Rogers 4*

First bowling change for England as the ball is thrown to Stokes. Shot! Brilliant timing on show from Rogers, who guides the ball through mid-wicket for four. Stokes drifts down the leg-side to concede a single, before ending the over by beating Warner's bat with a beauty.

Changes at both ends as Swann comes on for an early bowl. England need their spinner to produce his best form today. Rogers pushes the ball through the covers for a single. Chance! Warner comes charging down the pitch to play a wild shot. It's a difficult stumping opportunity and Prior fails to collects the ball cleanly. Another loose swing of the bat follows outside off-stump. Good start for the spinner. Warner needs to calm down.

Great stop from Carberry at point to prevent Rogers from scoring with a sliced drive. Stokes goes slightly too straight and the batsman flicks a single into the leg-side. Just one off the over.

Lovely length being bowled by Swann early in this spell. Rogers, who probably needs a big score soon, survives an optimistic lbw appeal. It's a maiden.

Stokes gets his length wrong and Warner cashes in to steer four past Carberry at point. Shot! It gets even better from the opener when he stands tall to drill the next ball to the cover boundary. A couple more runs are added following a pull to Jonny Bairstow, who is on for Broad, in the deep.

Swann has looked very dangerous early on in this spell. Rogers defends well, before getting off strike by keeping out the quicker one from the spinner. Shot! Warner punishes the first poor delivery from Swann by pulling four runs through mid-wicket.

Stokes settles on a good length early in the over but Rogers punishes a straighter ball by clipping four through mid-wicket. It's been a good start for the hosts. They lead by 177. Rogers 16 Warner 27*

Six! Warner's confidence is growing now as he drops to one knee to slog-sweep Swann over the rope at mid-wicket. Bairstow fumbles the ball at cover to gift the batsman a single. Tought times for Cook and his team.

Bresnan is back for a new spell and he's greeted by a lofted shot down the ground from Warner for four. A shorter ball is pulled through square-leg for a single, before Rogers drives four more to the cover boundary. It's looking like hard work again for the tourists.

Swann is too short early in the over and a fast outfield means Warner earns four with a cut past point. Another boundary follows when Warner hammers four more through the off-side. Trust me, it's flat out there. Don't let England's batsmen tell you different. Time for a drinks break.

We're now officially halfway through this series. Can England supporters take much more? Australia continue to dominate every battle. The lead is now 201. Rogers 20* Warner 47

Bresnan is angry with himself when he strays onto the pads to allow Rogers to pick up a couple of runs. Shot! The bowler's mood doesn't improve when Rogers drives four more through mid-off. Australia cruising at the moment.

Prior is probably still thinking about that missed stumping chance. Warner looks in the mood to punish England's wicketkeeper. Just one run scored off Swann's latest over as Warner edges closer to another half-century. Rogers 26 Warner 48*

HALF-CENTURY! There's not many people in the world in better form than Warner, who reaches his 50 in style by pulling Bresnan through square-leg for four. It's come from just 56 balls. Good knock but he'll want a century. A second boundary arrives in the over when Warner lofts four more over mid-on. Brilliant batting.

Rogers is doing his business at a different pace to Warner. Swann mixes his pace well to complete a maiden over. The lead is 216.

Anderson is back into the attack. The seamer starts with a loose delivery and Warner takes full advantage to cut the ball past backward point for four. Three more runs are added when Warner pulls through mid-wicket, with Bairstow cleaning up in the deep. Drop! England's day keeps getting worse when Cook puts down Rogers at first slip. It looks like the England captain was expecting Prior to take the catch. It's a chance missed for the tourists. Anderson is not pleased to say the least. Nine runs scored in the over.

The replay proves that Prior should have made the move to take the catch in the previous over. Rogers will be desperate to cash in now. Swann races through another over. One run added by Warner.

Warner thinks there is two runs available past point but he's forced to hurry back to the non-striker's end when Rogers rejects the call. Root's mistake at cover gifts Rogers three, before Warner rotates the strike again with a quick single. One more makes it six off the over. Andy Flower and Graham Gooch look like disappointed parents as they watch events unfold from the balcony. Meanwhile, Clarke has his feet up in the home dressing room. Warner 67 Rogers 31*

Swann is doing his best to build pressure with some good variations and he's not far away from catching the edge when Rogers attempts a cut. The 25th over of the innings is a maiden.

The luck is on Australia's side, too. Warner takes his team to three figures with a sliced shot just over the fielder at cover for two. Shot! Anderson goes too full and Warner collects four more with a bullet of a straight drive.

Rogers takes a couple of steps forward to clip a single into the leg-side. Warner is in full ODI mode now as he slogs four runs over mid-wicket. Swann fires in a quicker one but Warner gets bat on ball to steal the strike with a single.

Warner pulls a single to get off strike. Anderson comes around the wicket to bowl at Rogers, who is more than happy to block out the rest of the over. England are missing Broad but it's difficult to see how he could change what's going on at the moment.

Swann is pitching the ball well outside the off-stump but Warner barely looks interested as he watches a maiden over pass through to Prior. The lead is 245. Rogers 32* Warner 79

Stokes back on for a new spell but it's much of the same from Australia's openers. Rogers reaches the rope twice in the over. The first boundary comes from a clip through mid-wicket and the second is a powerful drive past mid-off. England have had quite a few bad days on this tour already but today is reaching a new level of disappointment.

Swann is certainly on the defensive now as he looks to frustrate Warner with a wider line. No mistakes from Warner, who moves to 80* with a single. Rogers adds a quick run to mid-on to extend the lead to 255.

Much better length from Stokes as he keeps it tight by conceding just one single off the over. Just over five minutes left in the session.

Rogers gets bat on ball regularly in the over but he picks out the England fielders with his shots. It's a maiden from Swann. Rogers 42 Warner 80*

TEA: Root is into the attack in the 34th over, which tells you everything about the third day of this Test match. It's a decent start from the spinner, with just one run being scored. He might have some more work to do in the final session. Rogers 42 Warner 81*

What a great session for Australia. The Perth crowd applaud Rogers and Warner off the field. Can it get much worse for England? No wickets, no Broad and another session ahead of them. The lead is now 257.

There's still so much time remaining in this match. Australia have seven sessions to set whatever total they want, before going in search of the 10 wickets they need to regain the Ashes.

Australia, quite simply, are just the better team at the moment. The bowlers impressed once again in the first session to take the final six wickets for just 71 runs. Warner and Rogers have proved this pitch is not a minefield.

Warner scored 81 runs in one session. Broad has been forced to head to hospital for an x-ray on an injured foot. Prior missed a stumping and Cook has dropped a catch. Where do England go from here? The tourists have to show some fight in the final session.

How long will Australia bat for? There's so much time left in the game that Clarke can afford to pile the misery on for a lot longer than usual. England will have to bat for a long period to save this Test match. That's something they've been unable to do in this series.

There's still no news from the England camp regarding Stuart Broad. He's the leading wicket-taker for the tourists and his absence will be a big concern.

Cook, Flower and Saker have probably all had their say during the tea break. Will there be a response in the final session of day three? Rogers and Warner will both be desperate to be at the crease when the close of play arrives.

Swann with the ball in hand. Warner on strike. Australia start the session 257 runs ahead. Play!

Swann is persisting with a wide line to Warner as he looks to tempt the batsman into playing a wild shot. No mistakes in the over, though. A rare straight ball is nudged to mid-wicket for a single.

UPDATE: Broad is back at the ground but there's no sign of him returning to the field of play soon as he sits in the dressing room with a sandwich.

Stokes starts a new spell by catching the outside edge but the luck goes Warner's way as the ball races through third-man for four. Pietersen does well at mid-off to stop Warner from punishing a full-toss. A single to fine-leg hands the strike to Rogers, who finds the middle of the bat to steer four runs through the off-sid. Rogers 46 Warner 87*

Warner leaves well early in the over, before driving a fuller ball through extra cover for a couple. Prior's poor day continues when a ball sneaks through his legs and to the rope for four byes. More frustration for England.

HALF-CENTURY! Rogers reaches his fourth Test 50 with a superb drive through the covers for four. He'll be happy with this innings so far but a century would secure his place at the top of the order for a bit longer. Just four runs conceded by Stokes. Rogers 50 Warner 89*

Chance! What has happened to Prior? England's wicketkeeper misses another stumping opportunity when Warner charges down the pitch. Four byes added to the total. Swann looks like he's ready for the next flight to Gatwick.

Carberry can only get a hand on a sliced drive from Rogers, who earns two behind point. Stokes fires in a good bouncer, which Rogers fails to meet with the hook shot. The lead is now 283.

Warner moves into the nineties with a push through cover for two, which also brings up the 150 partnership. Swann trying every variation he has but nothing is working for the spinner. Rogers 52* Warner 91

Prior asks for caught behind early in a new over but the ball clipped the shoulder as Rogers attempted another hook. Ouch! I'm not sure the England batsmen will enjoy seeing this delivery. Stokes hits one of the cracks and the ball changes direction to strike Rogers in the ribs. I imagine Johnson is licking his lips in the dressing room. A single hands the strike to Warner, who continues to delight the crowd by pulling four runs through mid-wicket.

Cook is doing his best to rally the troops from gully. Australia's openers continue to bat with apparent ease as another Swann over passes by without a breakthrough. Rogers 54* Warner 95

England finally make the breakthrough when Rogers cuts the returning Bresnan to point, where Carberry takes a very good catch. Decent innings from the opener but he might feel he's missed out on a century.

Shane Watson comes to the crease with a great opportunity to find some form with the bat. If he builds a partnership with Warner it will get even more painful for England's supporters. The new batsman survives an early lbw appeal when Marais Erasmus suggests that the ball would have gone over the stumps. Good over from Bresnan. It's a wicket maiden.

Carberry does enough at point to restrict Warner to a single early in Swann's over. Watson gets forward well to block out the remaining deliveries from the spinner. Warner 96* Watson 0

UPDATE: England have confirmed that Broad will not return to the field today and an update is expected tomorrow.

Warner moves closer to a century with a single on the off-side. Shot! Watson gets off the mark by cutting a wider one from Bresnan to the rope for four. The seamer is furious when he loses his length again to be drilled to the boundary again. Nine off the over. The lead is now 301.

CENTURY! Stunning from Warner as he goes to his fifth Test century with a cut past point for four runs. It comes from just 127 balls. Brilliant batting from the opener but he spoils the moment slightly by celebrating in Prior's face. There's no need for that. Enjoy the moment instead, it's been a great innings. Warner 101 Watson 8*

Run out chance for Carberry, who fails to hit the stumps with Watson at least two yards short of his ground. Warner reaches the rope again by driving a wider ball through cover for four. The centurion adds another by nudging Bresnan into the leg-side. What can Cook do at this stage? He'll consider his options during a drinks break.

Warner is quickly becoming a top Test match opener. He'll fancy attacking even more now that he's reached his century. The lead is 311.

Wow! Warner launches a big six down the ground early in Swann's over to test out the fans in the stands.

Warner attempts to clear the rope again but he miscues his latest effort. Stokes runs in from long-on to take the catch and hand Swann his first wicket of the innings. Superb knock from Warner, who raises his bat to salute the Perth crowd.

You remove the centurion but you still trail by 317. Who is the last person the tourists want to see walking out to the middle? That's right. Michael Clarke. Six runs and a wicket from Swann's over.

Clarke knows exactly where his off-stump is as he leaves well and only blocks when necessary during a maiden over from Bresnan. Watson 9* Clarke 0

Lovely over from Swann, who has bowled pretty well considering the situation his team are in at the moment. It's another maiden as Watson chooses to block six balls in a row.

England will want a few more wickets today to make sure that tomorrow is as painless as possible. Bresnan is starting to bowl with good rhythm as Clarke's wait for a first run goes on.

Close! Great effort from Bell at short-leg to get a hand on a paddle-sweep from Watson. It's barely a half chance, to be fair to the fielder. The single taken hands the strike to Clarke, who gets off the mark with a quick run to mid-on. Watson takes advantage of a fumble from Bresnan to add one more. Watson 11* Clarke 1

This might be an important innings for Watson, who is still trying to prove himself as a Test number three. A nudge into the leg-side for one is the only run he earns from Bresnan's latest over. The Barmy Army are still singing. Why let cricket ruin a day at the WACA?

Anderson is back for a new spell. Shot! Watson defends well outside off-stump, before taking advantage of a straighter ball to guide four through mid-wicket. It's just the boundary from the over. The lead is 325. Watson 16 Clarke 1*

Swann's spell comes to an end as Root returns to the attack. There's a leg-slip in place for Clarke, who was caught there in the summer. A skip down the pitch is followed by a push to long-on for one. Watson rotates the strike again with a single to mid-wicket. A couple more singles makes it four from the over.

England's bowlers are battling well late on in the day. Less than an hour of play remaining. Maiden over from Anderson. The lead is 329.

Root completes a fairly uneventful over, with the only incident worth reporting being Swann getting cramp in the field. It's been that kind of day for the tourists.

Watson pushes the ball firmly just wide of mid-off to collect a single. Superb shot from Clarke to guide four runs past point when Anderson goes a fraction too wide. It's time for the final drinks break of the day.

England need to keep working hard for the final 45 minutes. It's been a terrible day but they need to force Australia to bat for as long as possible. Clarke will probably want a lead of 500 before he declares.

The match isn't lost yet. That will be Cook's message to his players. Clarke has the luxury of a 300+ lead to play with but I think he'll be focused on making sure he ends the day with Watson, so that both can attack in the first session of day four. Stokes returns for a new spell. A couple of singles are scored early in the over. Watson then beats Swann at second slip with a late cut to earn four more.

Root switches ends to replace Anderson. The spinner comes around the wicket to bowl at Clarke, who is more than happy to collect just one run off the over. Australia lead by 341.

Stokes delivers a short ball and Clarke stands tall to pull a single to deep square-leg. Watson gets a thick inside edge on the ball when he lunges forward to defend and he adds another run with the false shot. Stokes sends one down slightly wider and Clarke picks the gap to cut three past point. Watson 25 Clarke 13*

Root is fortunate to only concede two when Clarke targets the rope with the pull shot. Shot! Australia's skipper dances down the pitch to loft the ball over mid-off and earn four runs. Bresnan drops back to long-off, where Clarke nudges the ball for one more run at the end of the over.

Great effort from Carberry to prevent Clarke from reaching the boundary with a powerful cut shot. Watson finds another run on the leg-side.

Stokes will take confidence from this wicket. The Durham all-rounder removes Clarke by knocking back the stumps with one that just nips back enough. Steve Smith in next for the hosts.

Smith starts his innings with a confident pull to deep square-leg for one. Just over 20 minutes left in the day. Australia lead by 358.

Smith fails to punish a full-toss from Root, but he does earn a single with a clip through mid-wicket. Watson is eager to use his feet against the spinner. However, Root mixes his pace well to keep it tight in the over.

Stokes is inches away from another wicket when Smith chases a wide one. Close! Where has this spell come from? Stokes then swings the ball the other way to beat the batsman on the inside edge. Impressive maiden from the seamer.

Watson pulls a short ball from Root to deep mid-wicket for a single. Smith hits a sliced drive into a gap for a couple through the covers, before adding one more to square-leg. Watson 27 Smith 5*

Anderson is back for one final spell before the close of play. Smith gets lucky when the ball drops short of Prior after he miscued an attempted pull. The centurion from the first innings reaches the rope with a flick off the hip for four. Optimistic appeals for lbw from the slips but Anderson isn't interested in joining in. Two overs left in the day.

Root rushes through another over, with just a couple of runs being added to the total by Watson. England ask the question when Root hits the pad and Cook then decides to use a review after Billy Bowden shakes his head. It's a hopeful use of DRS, with the replay proving that the ball pitched outside leg-stump. The lead is 369 with six balls left in the day. Watson 29 Smith 5*

CLOSE OF PLAY: Smith flirts with one down the leg-side but he doesn't get any bat on the ball. Anderson finds a better line after that delivery and he's able to complete a maiden over. Australia end the day with a lead of 369. Watson 29* Smith 5*

It's been another fantastic day for the hosts. England have been poor, that much is obvious, but you can't take anything away from Australia. They've dominated day three to edge a step closer to winning this series.

It's starting to feel like the 2006/07 Ashes series for the tourists. Australia hold all the cards with two days remaining in this match. They'll attack with the bat tomorrow, before going in search of the 10 wickets they need to confirm a series victory.

Australia will return tomorrow with a lead of 369 runs. Will the Ashes be won by the hosts on day four? Join me at 2.00am tomorrow to find out. Goodbye.