Cricket: Pressure goes on Root as England need another late Ashes miracle

England's Joe Root. Photo / AP

It is six years since England batted out the final day of a test match to scramble a draw but that is the challenge they faced overnight, otherwise Australia will retain the Ashes. Somehow they will have to muster the defiance to repel a rampant Australian attack without their captain Joe Root, who was bowled first ball by Pat Cummins as England were cut down by the new ball in the final seven overs before the close.

Cummins was on a hat-trick after he dismissed Rory Burns, caught off a leading edge, and bowled Root to leave England nought for two.

England limped to 18 for two thanks to Jason Roy showing some mettle in defence, but Australia are just eight wickets away from taking a 2-1 series lead and look unstoppable in their quest to win their first Ashes series in England since 2001.

If that happens, Root will face serious questions about his future. There was a time when it was normal service for an England captain to lose Ashes series home and away and survive. But these days England are accustomed to beating Australia on their home turf and Root has always dreamt of emulating Michael Vaughan's 2005 victory. It is not going to happen now and, even worse, Root's form has deserted him. This was his third duck in five innings, two of them first-ballers, and to rub it in even more, Steve Smith continued his dominance with an innings of 82.

When Burns was dismissed, Root could have opted for the protection of a nightwatchman. There are times to seize the initiative and times to back away. But Root took on the responsibility, walked out to bat and a couple of minutes later was walking back shaking his head. The crowd were stunned, Australia jubilant.

Not since Matt Prior led an England rearguard in Auckland in March 2013 have England showed the tenacity and fight on a fifth-day pitch to cling on for a draw. Trent Boult and Tim Southee are two fine bowlers but they are not quite Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, who have pinned England down for three tests with their relentless accuracy and pace.

With the pitch crumbling and the weather unlikely to ride to England's rescue, they must summon the strength of character to survive with one or two individuals fighting for their test careers today. Australia also have Mitchell Starc at their disposal, a master at dealing with tail-enders, and English batsmen whose weakness is defence must find a way to pull through. If Jack Leach ends up blocking out the final balls to save the test it would guarantee folk-hero status. Can Ben Stokes be there with him? Surely that is too much to ask, the stuff of dreams.

After a brief rally with the new ball that brought back memories of Headingley two weeks ago, with Stuart Broad condemning David Warner to his first pair in test cricket, Smith steadied Australia with another brilliantly infuriating innings that enabled Australia to declare on 186 for six, leaving England a nominal run-chase target of 383.

Smith is still violating the laws of cricket, but in the right way now by improvising with a creativity that defies batting logic. At one stage he late-cut Archer from outside leg stump down to third man using just a quarter of his bat. Two balls earlier he heaved him through midwicket from wide outside off stump.

He has frazzled English minds for two consecutive series. In Australia 18 months ago, Englishmen chuntered under their breath about getting him back in England and facing the Dukes ball. It has not worked out that way.

He has scored 671 in the series at an average of 134.20, having batted for 26 hours and faced almost 1,000 balls. He fell 18 runs short of becoming the first man in Ashes history to score a double hundred and century in the same match. In different circumstances, he would have made it to three figures for here he was out caught in the deep off Leach trying to set up the declaration.

Normally third-innings thrashes are predictable, but this one was brought to life by a Stokes rallying call in the team huddle that brought the best out of Broad and Archer.

Warner knew what was coming but could do nothing about it. Broad bowled around the wicket, seamed a couple away before angling one in that hit Warner in front of leg stump. He did not bother with the review. It was Warner's third consecutive duck.

It was the wicket of Marnus Labuschagne that really had England on a roll. It was spicy out there and Archer, now regularly clocking over 90mph, was full and straight.

Labuschagne was late on it and when DRS confirmed he was out, England sent him on his way with a wave from Broad.

Archer flattened Travis Head's middle stump, but Smith carried on the attack and Wade clung on for his third score over 30 in this year's Ashes. Root gave Broad and Archer nine-over opening spells. But after tea he decided to attack with Leach at one end and Overton at the other. Another missed opportunity in what could be a telling day in the series.