Australia have tightened their grip on the fifth Ashes Test at Sydney, with Steve Smith compiling an unbeaten 129 and Travis Head earlier smashing a brilliant 163 on day three.
The hosts closed on 518-7, establishing a commanding lead of 134 runs and positioning themselves to seal a comprehensive 4-1 series victory.
England endured another torrid day at the Sydney Cricket Ground, which was bathed in pink for the Jane McGrath Foundation, as their dismal tour continued to unravel.
Captain Ben Stokes was forced to bowl extensively in an effort to compensate for the struggles of opening bowlers Matthew Potts and Brydon Carse.
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The tourists now face the daunting prospect of batting to save the match, requiring an extraordinary defensive effort to prevent a fourth loss in what has been a deeply disappointing campaign.
England's catching woes proved costly once again during a chaotic opening session in Sydney.
Will Jacks was responsible for spilling Head, while Zak Crawley failed to hold onto a chance offered by Smith.
Australia have tightened their grip on the fifth Ashes Test at Sydney, with Steve Smith compiling an unbeaten 129 and Travis Head earlier smashing a brilliant 163 on day three
|PA
Both batsmen capitalised ruthlessly on their reprieves, punishing the tourists with substantial contributions.
The dropped catches added to a mounting catalogue of fielding errors throughout the series, with England now having put down 17 opportunities of varying difficulty across the five matches.
It was a day that matched any of the ineptitude witnessed during the previous seven weeks of this tour.
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Five things to know about The Ashes | PAThe travelling England supporters continued to sing throughout the afternoon session, providing vocal backing even as their team was systematically dismantled.
One small mercy for the visitors was that their batsmen were spared a difficult late session at the crease.
Smith's magnificent innings carried him past England great Jack Hobbs to claim second place on the all-time list of Ashes run-scorers, with only the legendary Sir Donald Bradman now ahead of him.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was effusive in his praise for the Australian.
Steve Smith was outstanding for Australia on day three of the fifth Ashes Test
|PA
"He is a special player," Vaughan said.
"When quality players know pitches are in their favour they make it count. Joe Root, Travis Head and now Steve Smith."
Smith expressed his fondness for his home ground after reaching the milestone.
"I just love batting here. Obviously it's my home deck," Smith said. "I know the ground really well. When I get in here I really like batting here. The pace of the wicket really suits the way I play."