Cook's resistance ends as Australia sniff win!

 

England skipper Alastair Cook made a fighting 85 but Australia sniff win as England finished Day three on 203 for the loss of six wickets, trailing still by 129 runs. 

England batsmen found the going tough in the second innings after being asked to follow-on as Australia closed on a consolation victory. 

Adam Lyth was caught by Michael Clarke off Peter Siddle for 10, continuing a wretched run of form for the England opener.

However, Cook with poise and held one end as the rest of the top-order collapsed around him. However at the fag end of the day, Steve Smith dismissed the England skipper and further strengthened Australia's grip on the final Test.  

Earlier, Moeen Ali and Mark Wood extended their ninth-wicket partnership to 57 with a flurry of boundaries in the opening half hour.

Wood struck six fours in his 24 before he attempted to pull Mitchell Johnson and spooned a catch to Mitchell Starc at mid-on.

Moeen, England's top-scorer with 30, edged Johnson's next delivery to wicketkeeper Peter Nevill to end the innings on 149, 332 runs behind Australia's first-innings 481.

Clarke had no hesitation in enforcing the follow-on and Cook and Lyth batted carefully, in sharp contrast to the hosts' carefree approach in the last session on Friday when they lost seven wickets.

Cook took 27 balls to score his first run and Lyth was equally watchful before he was undone by an angled delivery from Siddle and Clarke took a good low catch at second slip.

Siddle bowled five successive maidens in a probing spell but Cook and Bell held firm.