ENGLAND put up a fight in the fourth day of the third test in Australia.

But despite a century from Alastair Cook, the hosts moved another step closer to regaining the Ashes.

Two late wickets from Glenn McGrath put Australia in sight of the victory in Perth which would give them an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five match series.

McGrath struck twice in three balls just two overs before the close to remove Cook and nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard, leaving England on 265 for five at the close of the fourth day.

Until McGrath's late breakthroughs, the tourists had dominated most of the day with Cook hitting a defiant 116 and sharing in a crucial 178-run partnership with Ian Bell and a 76-run stand with Kevin Pietersen.

Their efforts had put England in sight of one of the great Test victories, with the tourists having begun their innings the previous evening 556 runs adrift aiming to become the first side in history to successfully chase such a target.

West Indies 418 for seven recorded against Australia at Antigua three years ago is the current record, but for long periods England looked capable of setting up a position where they could chase the record on the final day.

Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell, dropped on 73 by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist off fast bowler Brett Lee, fell 13 runs short of his maiden Ashes century when he was out-witted by Shane Warne.

But 21-year-old Essex batsman Cook, who was also missed on 83 when Matthew Hayden dropped him at slip off all-rounder Andrew Symonds' off-spin, went on to score the fourth century of his fledgling Test career.

Cook battled for more than six hours at the crease, hitting only nine fours, and appeared to have put England in position to chase a record victory target - particularly with Kevin Pietersen at the other end.

Only 10 minutes before the close, however, Cook pushed forward to McGrath and edged behind and two balls later Hoggard's off-stump was sent flying out of the ground with a superb yorker.

Captain Andrew Flintoff survived the final few overs with Pietersen, who finished unbeaten on 37, but England's focus will now be on survival and trying to avoid surrendering the Ashes to Australia on the final day.