Stuart Broad made a shock announcement that he is retiring from cricket after the end of the Ashes as England took a giant stride towards levelling the series on Saturday.
England, in a game they must win to square the Ashes at 2-2, were 389-9 in their second innings at stumps on the third day of the fifth Test at The Oval -- a commanding lead of 377 runs.
Minutes after play finished in the London evening sunshine, paceman Broad told Sky Sports he was hanging up his spikes.
The 37-year-old seamer, the fifth most successful bowler in Test history with 602 wickets, said: "Tomorrow (Sunday) or Monday will be my last game of cricket.
"It has been a wonderful ride and a huge privilege to wear the Nottinghamshire and England badge as much as I have."
He added: "I am loving cricket as much as I ever have. I have always wanted to finish at the top and this series feels like one of the most enjoyable and entertaining I have been a part of.
"I always wanted to finish at the top I made the decision about 8:30 pm (1930 GMT) last night."
Broad's announcement overshadowed a stunning batting display by England led by Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow.
Root (91) and Bairstow (78) were both in superb touch during a fifth-wicket stand of 110.
A late flurry of wickets, with Mitchell Starc taking 4-94 after a pounding by England's top order, gave Australia a glimmer of hope.
But some of the biggest cheers of the day came when last man James Anderson produced a cameo knock.
England's advantage means Australia already have to achieve what would be the joint eighth-highest total to win in the fourth innings of a Test if they are to pull off an improbable victory.
An opening stand of 79 between Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett (42) ended when Duckett edged a full-length Starc delivery to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.
Crawley went on to reach 73 in just 76 balls, combining well with skipper Ben Stokes, who had promoted himself up the order.
Moeen Ali was ruled out of batting in his number three position after being off the field all day Friday with a groin injury.
But Stokes was caught by Todd Murphy off the bowling of Pat Cummins for 42 and Harry Brook fell shortly afterwards to leave England 222-4.
Root demonstrated the full range of his strokeplay, including a reverse scoop off Mitchell Marsh for a superbly timed six.
- 'Still in the game' -
But there was no second century of the series for the former captain, who was bowled between bat and pad by a Murphy off-break that kept low.
Bairstow, one of the stars of the 'Bazball' era, fresh from his blistering 99 not out in last week's rain-marred drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford, also fell short of three figures when he flat-footedly cut at left-arm fast bowler Starc and was caught behind for 78 off 103 balls.
There was a clatter of wickets as Chris Woakes, Moeen and Mark Wood were dismissed before Anderson (eight not out) joined Broad (two not out) at the crease.
Australia, as the holders, have already retained the Ashes at 2-1 up.
But they must avoid defeat at The Oval if they are to win their first Ashes series in England since 2001.
Australia still believe they can win the match and the series.
"We spoke about it at the start of the day, just keeping ourselves in the game today and backing our batters to chase down whatever we get set," said Murphy.
"We knew England were going to come out today and put the pressure on us and they did, they batted really well, but we're definitely still in the game."
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