3rd Test: England staring at defeat after Day 4

Perth, Dec 17 (CRICKETNMORE) - England were struggling at 132/4 in their second innings at the end of a rain-interrupted fourth day in the third Ashes Test at the WACA Stadium here on Sunday, on the verge of defeat as

In the second innings, the Australian pace battery got the ball to land in the ever-widening cracks, as Josh Hazlewood sent England openers Mark Stoneman and Alastair Cook back to the pavilion in his first spell.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon removed English captain Joe Root in his first over, before it started raining, prompting the umpires to call for an early tea break with the score reading 71/3.

In the day's last session, a composed James Vince, who played some fluent off drives to reach his second fifty in the series, was removed on 55 by a menacing delivery from Starc that broke his off stump, making England's hopes appear as gloomy as the weather around the stadium.

Malan and Bairstow managed to fend off the Australians until it began to pour once again, and play was called off for the day with the score reading 132/4.

England's best hopes on keeping the series alive rest on the rain gods washing off most of the last day's play, unless their batsmen can conjure up some magic and take the fight back to the Aussies, who lead the five-match Ashes test series 2-0.