A crucial spell from Ash Gardner has kept Australia on top after day four of the one-off Ashes Test between Australia and England.
Gardner took 3-33 from her nine overs, reducing England to 5-116 at stumps, with the home side requiring a further 152 runs to win with five wickets in hand.
England started the record fourth innings chase of 267 strongly, with openers Emma Lamb and Tammy Beaumont maintaining a scoring rate above five runs per over to see England pass 50 inside 10 overs.
Enter Ash Gardner.
The Muruwari off-spinner dismissed Beaumont, England's first innings double hundred scorer with the first ball of her spell after the in-form opener guided a full and wide delivery straight to Beth Mooney at first slip.
After Tahlia McGrath had Lamb leg-before-wicket the following over Gardner struck again, dismissing Nat Sciver-Brunt without scoring after the England number four attempted to sweep with the spin of Gardner, only to sky a top edge to the diving Kim Garth at short fine leg.
Two overs later Gardner made it three in three overs, catching Heather Knight (9 from 17) leg-before-wicket after the England captain played back to a short, sharply turning Gardner off-break, unable to overturn the umpire's out decision on review.
Suddenly England had lost 4-18, and when Kim Garth had Sophia Dunkley (16 from 39) caught behind, Australia were well on top on top at 5-110.
However England steadied through Dani Wyatt (20* from 32) and nightwatcher Kate Cross (5* from 12) to end the day's play 5-116 from 28 overs.
Following the day's play, Gardner said focusing on partnership bowling and bowling to the conditions helped her partner with McGrath to swing momentum back in favour of Australia.
"We always speak about batting in partnerships, but I think bowling in partnerships is just as important," Gardner told Sky Sports after play.
"(Tahlia McGrath) and I were able to put some pressure back on them because I'm sure they came out here quite confident, and we've swung that around now and we can take the upper hand going into tomorrow.
"You have to stay patient, you want to take wickets every single ball but on a wicket like this it just doesn't happen … keep the stumps in play and it will happen, balls will turn big or cut off the seam."
Earlier in the day, Sophie Ecclestone took her second five-wicket haul for the match, ending with second innings figures of 5-63 from 30.5 overs to see Australia bowled out for 257.
Although widely considered the world's best spinner, Australian opener Beth Mooney said Gardner is right up there with England's left arm orthodox.
"I think Ash isn't too far behind her," Mooney said.
"She has been outstanding for us in the past couple of years.
"There was a time two or three years ago where Meg (Lanning) tended to not throw the ball to Ash in T20 cricket.
"To her credit she changed what she did and changed her variations and things like that."
Day five of play continues Monday evening, Australian time with England requiring 152 runs and Australia five wickets for victory.
