The China Mail - Australia collapse in sight of Ashes series victory

Rain kept the players off the field for about two hours before Australia, who as the holders have already retained the Ashes at 2-1 up, resumed on 238-3.

That still left the tourists needing 146 more runs to reach an imposing victory target of 384.

Steve Smith, dropped at leg gully by England captain Ben Stokes just before the interval, was 40 not out and left-hander Travis Head 31 not out.

The pair had extended their fourth-wicket stand to 95 when off-spinner Moeen, in what could be his last Test appearance, turned a ball out of the rough.

Head, on 43, tried to drive, with Joe Root holding a routine catch at first slip.

Australia then lost their star batsman when Smith, having completed an 89-ball fifty, fell for 54 when he edged an excellent full-length delivery from paceman Woakes to Zak Crawley at second slip.

And Australia fell to 274-6 when Moeen had all-rounder Mitchell Marsh brilliantly caught by diving wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.

Australia's collapse continued when Woakes and Crawley combined again to dismiss Mitchell Starc for a duck and captain Pat Cummins was next to go, caught by Stokes off Moeen for nine.

Earlier, Woakes removed Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja in a dramatic burst of two wickets for one run in seven balls on an overcast morning and with a pitch freshened by rain.

Express quick Mark Wood then had Marnus Labuschagne caught in the slips for 13 to leave Australia 169-3.

England pace great Stuart Broad, who on Saturday made a shock announcement he would retire after the match, took up the attack as the 37-year-old sought to dismiss Warner for the 18th time in Tests.

But it was Woakes who made the breakthrough England desperately needed when a good-length ball, angled across Warner, nipped off the seam and took the outside edge to give Bairstow a simple catch.

Warner was out for 60 and it was not long before Khawaja, the leading run-scorer in the series, followed him.

Khawaja was lbw to Woakes for 72 after being caught on the crease in front of middle and leg stumps by a full-length delivery.

Wood then squared up Labuschagne with an 86 mph (138 kph) delivery that angled in and swung away to take the edge, with Crawley holding a fine low catch at second slip.

Stokes then gave Smith, who has scored three hundreds in five Tests at The Oval, a reprieve on the stroke of lunch after he gloved Moeen.

The ball looped to Stokes at leg gully, who grabbed it one-handed above his head. But as his arm came down, his hand clipped his leg and he dropped the ball.

V.Liu--ThChM