McGrath halts Cook-Bell resistance

Their only other hope to keep the series alive is to bat out the final day and force a draw. Kevin Pietersen carried English hopes of saving the series and was not out on 37, with captain Andrew Flintoff having just joined him at the crease on two.

Just when it seemed England would go into the final day with seven wickets in hand after six hours of gritty batting, the determined Cook fell in the third last over of the day as McGrath had him caught behind for 116.

England sent in nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard, but the move backfired when he was bowled second ball by a McGrath yorker.

A little worryingly for the Australians, an early shower or two is forecast for the final day. Cook showed great powers of concentration to cope with a searching and extended examination from champion leg-spinner Shane Warne on another hot and humid day.

He finally reached triple figures after 335 obstinate minutes and 257 balls at the crease, having hit only eight boundaries. England resumed at 19 for one and the pair defied the Australian attack for more than half the day.

Bell was denied a century when he became Shane Warne’s 696th Test wicket from the last ball of the day’s 51st over. The diminutive right-hander had batted with a perfect mixture of patience and strokeplay to frustrate the Australians, but got under a fullish delivery from Warne and drove it straight to Justin Langer at short mid-off.

There was little assistance from the wicket for Australia’s fast bowling trio of Lee, McGrath and Clark. Warne extracted plenty of turn and bowled unchanged from the northern end between lunch and tea, but endured a generally frustrating day.

Brief scores: Australia 244 and 527 versus England 215 and 265/5 (Alastair Cook 116, Ian Bell 87, Kevin Pietersen 37 batting; Glenn McGrath 2/50).