The touring side reached 75-1 in their second innings at the close, a lead of 205, with Dean Elgar (38 not out) and Hashim Amla (23 not out) bringing some order to the final hour and ensuring their team are well-placed to force the victory that would level the four-match series at 1-1.
'People will have to step up and be prepared to put the hard yards in. Everyone starts on nought now'
Factbox on the second Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Saturday:
Spinner Zafar Ansari will make his England Test debut in the second and final match against Bangladesh while Stuart Broad is rested as Alastair Cook rotates his side ahead of the tour to India.
Kevin Pietersen's test future may be in doubt but the mercurial batsman was hailed as a "million pound asset" when named in England's provisional 30-member squad for this year's Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh on Wednesday.
Teenaged opening batsman Haseeb Hameed was one of the three uncapped players named on Friday for England's forthcoming tour to Bangladesh.
Moeen Ali made a superb century to lift England to 328 all out after Pakistan had taken four early wickets on the first day of the final Test at The Oval on Thursday.
England must chase down a world-record 474 to win the second Test while South Africa have two full days to bowl them out after the tourists' batsmen provided the strongest possible platform for victory on the third day in Nottingham on Sunday.
James Anderson and Stuart Broad each took three wickets to leave India in trouble on 323 for eight, 246 runs adrift of England, after the third day of the third Test on Tuesday.
Recalled Jonny Bairstow says he's in 'best form'.
Opener Sam Robson hit his maiden Test century before Sri Lanka fought back with four late wickets on the second day of the second Test at Headingley, on Saturday.
Former captain Andrew Flintoff believes Ben Stokes can become one of England's greats and rates the all-rounder as a more talented player than he was.
Clarke hopeful of Australia finding right mix between youth and experience after the team was described as a "Dad's Army" by former fast bowler and present Yorkshire coach, Jason Gillespie.
England's predicted line-up for the first Test in Brisbane includes Mark Stoneman, James Vince and Dawid Malan, who will walk out without a Test century to their names.
England are set to recall Jos Buttler as a specialist batsman in their team for the third Test against India in Mohali with Ben Duckett facing the axe after his struggles against off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the first two matches.
England captain Alastair Cook was almost speechless with delight after his side's 124-run victory over New Zealand in a gripping first Test at Lord's.
Penpix of England players in England's Ashes squad.
The South Africa-born 33-year-old has not played for the senior England team since the first Test in Brisbane 18 months ago, after which he returned home with stress-related problems.
England are still playing catch-up with the modern way of batting in the 50-over format but are showing encouraging signs in closing the gap with the major cricketing nations, the team's batting coach Mark Ramprakash said on Thursday.
An fine all-round display by Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler's late assault with the bat ended England's long losing streak against Australia as the visitors won the fourth One-Day International by 57 runs in Perth.
Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq scored a majestic 91 not out to lead Pakistan to a thrilling four-wicket victory over England in their final World Cup warmup at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednesday.
Aaron Finch struck his second 50-over hundred as Australia maintained their dominance over England with a six-wicket victory in the first one-day international on Sunday.
Former England captain Kevin Pietersen took to Twitter to describe Ian Bell's omission from England's squad for the tour of South Africa as 'ridiculous' and 'pathetic'.
England have rested batsman Kevin Pietersen and bowling pair Graeme Swann and James Anderson from their limited-overs squads for the series in Australia starting next month.
Pakistan's Yasir Shah claimed five wickets to put the breaks on England's scoring on Day 2 of the 1st Test at Lord's in London on Friday.
Ajinkya Rahane scored his maiden One-Day International century as India trounced England by nine wickets in the fourth one-dayer to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
England want to bounce back from a disastrous showing at Lord's by playing well enough to get a special Edgbaston crowd on their side in the third Ashes Test against Australia, said captain Alastair Cook.
England still blinking after perfect Ashes start.
A defiant half-century by India opener Murali Vijay kept alive his side's hopes of setting England a tough fourth-innings chase in a tense second Test at Lord's in London.
Factbox on the fifth Ashes Test match between Australia and England, which starts on Thursday:
England needed to prove in the first Test they could compete with Australia and the hosts showed in Cardiff they are a 'dangerous side' .
Joe Root again put Australia's bowlers to the sword and together with Ian Bell gave England the platform on Friday to push for victory in the first Ashes Test after setting the tourists 412 to win with two days remaining.
England need six wickets on the final day to win the third Test against India after a superb bowling performance helped them reduce the tourists to 112-4, still 333 runs short of victory, at the end of day four at Southampton on Wednesday.
Ian Bell returned to form in spectacular fashion with a superb 167 and debutant Jos Buttler also shone to help England strengthen their dominant position over India on the second day of the third Test on Monday.
New Zealand ripped through England's top order to close in on a series-leveling victory as the hosts limped to 102 for five at lunch on the last day of the second and final Test on Tuesday.
England face an uphill battle to save the second Test at Lord's after slumping to 105 for four at the close of Sunday's fourth day in pursuit of 319 to beat India.
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews and paceman Dhammika Prasad pushed England to the brink of defeat as the home side, set 350 to win, slumped to 57 for five on the fourth day of the second and final Test on Monday.
New England captain Joe Root rode his luck to make a battling unbeaten 184 and lift the hosts to a commanding 357 for five on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa at Lord's in London on Thursday.
A calf injury to explosive batsman Lynn opened an unlikely door for 34-year-old White, who played the last of his 88 ODIs in 2015 and has since been critical of a pro-youth policy he felt did not reward the performance of senior players.
Bairstow replaces jaded Buttler in England squad while Australia rope in Hastings, and call-up Handscomb after injury glut
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