Three wickets to Shane Warne and two to Brett Lee all but ruined any hope England had of mounting an historic run chase in the first Ashes test against Australia at Lord's on Saturday.
Stumps were drawn early due to bad light with England 156 for five in its second innings on day three, still 264 runs shy of its victory target.
Warne took 3-46 from 15 overs and Lee 2-58 from 15, with the not out batsmen Kevin Pietersen on 42 and Geraint Jones with 6.
Australia set England a target of 420 -- the highest ever fourth-innings total to win a test match. The West Indies reached 418 for seven to beat Australia at St. John's in Antigua in 2002-2003.
Only once has a team chased more than 300 runs to win a test at Lord's -- the West Indies made 344 for one to pass a target of 342 for a nine-wicket victory over England in 1984.
Shortly after lunch Saturday, the Australians were bowled out for 384 in their second innings.
A half century by Simon Katich helped Australia to a 419-run lead after England had made 155 in reply to the touring side's first-innings 190.
Katich added just one more to his lunchtime score before he was caught by Simon Jones off the bowling of Steve Harmison for 67, leaving Glenn McGrath unbeaten on 20.
Australia had resumed at 279 for seven with Katich unbeaten on 10 after Warne was dismissed on the last ball Friday.
Lee was the first man out on Saturday. He was struck on the hand by a Harmison delivery and hesitated before setting off for a single as the ball rolled to point.
Ashley Giles ran in from gully and gathered the ball, throwing down the stumps at the non-striker's end to catch Lee well out of his ground.
But England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones then dropped a sitter off Jason Gillespie when the Australian got a thick outside edge to a Simon Jones' delivery. The ball popped out of the 'keeper's glove as he made a one-handed attempt at a catch. A short time later, however, Simon Jones bowled Gillespie for 13.
The situation could have been even worse for England, had Warne and Lee not had worthy lbw appeals turned down.
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