Australia inch towards Ashes test win with England 116-5 chasing 268

NOTTINGHAM, England : England were reeling at 116-5 at stumps on day four of the women's Ashes test on Sunday chasing a target of 268, giving Australia the upper hand going into the final day of the one-off match at Trent Bridge.

After Australia's middle order collapsed in their second innings, England's opening pair began the chase with a solid 55-run partnership.

The start gave the home fans hope of victory until spinner Ashleigh Gardner took three wickets.

Tammy Beaumont, who had smashed 208 in the first innings, was the first to fall, dismissed off the first ball of Gardner's spell when she nicked to first slip.

"It was a lucky ball to get Tammy, she made 200 yesterday so I'll take that," Gardner told Sky Sports.

"Bowling in partnerships was just as important to put pressure back on England because I'm sure they came out quite confident after bowling us out."

Medium pacer Tahlia McGrath got in on the act to dismiss opener Emma Lamb while Nat Sciver-Brunt was caught off Gardner as England's top three fell within a span of 11 runs.

Skipper Heather Knight became the second English batter after Lamb to be dismissed lbw, with both failing to get the Decision Review System (DRS) to overturn the umpire's decision.

Danni Wyatt and Sophia Dunkley then steadied the ship with a patient 37-run partnership. But Kim Garth picked up her first test wicket when she dismissed Dunkley, caught behind off an outswinger.

Wyatt and Kate Cross were at the crease at stumps with England needing 152 more runs to win.

ECCLESTONE TAKES FIVE

Earlier, Australia had resumed on 82-0 after their openers survived 19 overs on Saturday but Phoebe Litchfield (46) was the first to fall, misreading an inswinger from Cross and leaving the delivery which nipped back in