Chris Woakes led the way with the ball before England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett held firm to give England the upper hand in a must-win third Ashes Test for the hosts against Australia at Headingley on Saturday.
Woakes, playing his first Test since March last year, took 3-68 as Australia were dismissed for 224 in their second innings on a rain-marred third day.
That left England, who trail 2-0 in the five-match series, needing 251 to win. England had more than two days to get the runs on a ground where there have only been five previous successful chases in excess of 250 to win a Test -- including their own 362-9 in a dramatic one-wicket win over Australia four years ago built on current captain Ben Stokes's stunning 135 not out.
They were 27-0 off just five overs at Saturday's close, with Crawley nine not out and Duckett 18 not out. "I'd like to think we're in a really good position, obviously we've still got another 220 runs to chase to win this Test match, but I think if we were given this opportunity at the end of the first innings, I think we would've taken it," Woakes told the BBC.