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Reuters

Sport

Ian Ransom

England pray for rain as Australia sniff Ashes win

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - Australia's captain Steve Smith walks past England's Dawid Malan runs off the ground as rain delays play during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

PERTH (Reuters) - Australia moved within six wickets of reclaiming the Ashes at the close of a rain-hit day four of the third Ashes test on Sunday, with England still 127 runs short of making the hosts bat again.

The tourists were 132 for four when a rain-shower brought stumps an hour early at the WACA, with Dawid Malan (28 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (14) tasked with an improbable rescue mission following their defiant 237-run stand in the first innings.

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - A rainbow can be seen above a screen announcing that play has been abandoned on the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

Australia had declared at 662 for nine after lunch, their highest ever Ashes total at home, with captain Steve Smith finally dismissed for 239 from 399 balls.

Trailing 2-0, England must cobble a draw to keep the five-test series alive to Melbourne and their hopes may rest on the weather, with more showers forecast on day five.

"I think we’re in a pretty good position obviously," Australia paceman Josh Hazlewood told local radio, after dismissing both of England's openers.

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - England's Dawid Malan runs off the ground as rain delays play during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

"I think we would have loved one more (wicket) today but they've lost the wickets at the tail pretty quickly throughout the whole series."

Even with the chance of rain interruptions, it still looked bleak for the tourists, with cracks opening up on a pitch and variable bounce likely to play a part on day five.

One large fissure at the southern end of the wicket opened up to swallow England number three James Vince for 55 when a Mitchell Starc ball jagged viciously back to rip out his off-stump.

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - Australia's Mitchell Starc celebrates after bowling England's James Vince during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

"I think we try and put the rain to the back of our minds," Vince told reporters. "We've got to have belief that we can save the series and get over the line tomorrow.

"It's going to be tough. I'm sure there's going to be some good balls flying around out there.

"But these two especially showed in the first innings that they can occupy the crease for a long time, so hopefully they get off to a good start in the morning."

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - England's James Vince is bowled by Australia's Mitchell Starc during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

Vince had at least shown determined application, a quality sorely missed in his top order colleagues.

Alastair Cook's miserable series continued as he threw away his wicket for 14, having managed only seven in the first innings of his 150th test.

Joe Root, his successor as captain, was equally culpable in his own 14, with opener Mark Stoneman out for three, as England staggered to 60 for three.

England's 'Barmy Army' danced in the terraces as rain brought tea five minutes early and again when it returned midway through the final session to see play abandoned.

Vince and first innings centurion Malan dug in for 40 runs before the pitch claimed the number three.

Bairstow and Malan added another 32 in a watchful stand to survive until the rain fell.

Australia's pacemen stuck to their task but the match is likely to be remembered for their captain's batting masterclass which yielded a second double-century against the same foes.

He was finally dismissed leg before by paceman James Anderson (4-116) in the morning.

All-rounder Mitchell Marsh was also trapped lbw by the veteran quick without adding to his overnight 181.

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - Australia's captain Steve Smith celebrates with team mates after taking a catch to dismiss England's captain Joe Root during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

Australia lost three wickets for 12 runs in the mini-collapse but wicketkeeper Tim Paine (49 not out) and Pat Cummins (41) steadied the home side with a 93-run stand.

Facing a 259-run deficit, England's chase began disastrously with Stoneman caught behind for three in the second over, seemingly hypnotised into a lead-footed push away from the body by metronomic seamer Josh Hazlewood.

Six overs later, Cook was sent packing when he spooned a leading edge low and straight back to Hazlewood who took a brilliant reflex catch to dismiss him.

Cricket - Australia v England - Ashes test match - WACA Ground, Perth, Australia, December 17, 2017 - Australia's captain Steve Smith takes a catch to dismiss England's captain Joe Root during the fourth day of the third Ashes cricket test match. REUTERS/David Gray

With England desperate for a captain's knock, Root joined Vince in the middle and the pair added 31 runs to prompt a bowling change.

Lyon was introduced and had Root caught at slip with his first delivery, the skipper playing a loose drive away from the body and Smith snaffling the chance when it pinged off Tim Paine's gloves.