Gilchrist puts England to sword

Mike Hussey jumps for joy after reaching three figures at the WACA © Getty Images

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Australia took a massive step closer to regaining the Ashes after Adam Gilchrist plundered the second fastest hundred in Test history in Perth.

Two-nil up in the series following their victories in Brisbane and Adelaide, Australia moved in for the kill on the third day at the WACA by dominating England with the bat before making a key breakthrough with the ball.

Resuming 148 runs ahead on a commanding 119 for one, Australia hammered 408 runs in only 66 overs to declare 556 runs ahead; by the close the tourists had slumped to 19 for one.

Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke laid the foundations for Australia’s run-spree by hitting determined centuries, but it was the brilliance of Gilchrist which finally ended England's hopes of a remarkable comeback in the series.

Gilchrist came within two deliveries of scoring the fastest Test hundred of all time, hammering 12 fours and four sixes to bring up three figures off just 57 balls.

His stunning display, which included hitting left-arm spinner Monty Panesar for 24 in one over, saw him narrowly miss beating the 56-ball ton by the legendary Viv Richards against England in Antigua 20 years ago.

Gilchrist added a staggering 162 with Clarke in only 20 overs to bury England under sheer weight of runs.

Until Gilchrist’s stunning innings, England could have counted themselves unlucky not to have made further inroads after a combination of missed chances and denied appeals.

England feel the force of Adam Gilchrist's brutal hitting during a magnificent 57-ball hundred

Under-fire wicket-keeper Geraint Jones was the biggest culprit by missing a stumping and a catch after Steve Harmison struck in the sixth over of the day to give England a flying start by removing Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

Having driven the previous ball through the covers for four - his 10th boundary in his 75 - Ponting attempted an identical shot only to edge to Jones.

But it was a further 17 overs before England struck again as opener Matthew Hayden and Hussey rode their luck to forge an important 62-run stand.

Hussey was fortunate to get off the mark after edging Harmison between first and second slip.

Hayden also enjoyed his share of luck to survive an lbw appeal from Harmison on 65 and then got an inside edge off seamer Matthew Hoggard, which flew just wide of his leg stump to the fine leg boundary.

England believed they should have also dismissed Hussey when he had progressed to 15 when he appeared to have been caught off left-arm spinner Panesar at bat-pad by Alastair Cook, only for umpire Rudi Koertzen to reject the appeal.

Panesar finally got his reward for his tight spell of bowling four overs later when Hayden, just eight short of his century, got cramped attempting a cut shot and edged to Paul Collingwood, who parried his first attempt before collecting the catch on the rebound.

Mike Hussey's edge finds a way past the England slips

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England should have had a further wicket before lunch but Jones fumbled a stumping chance with Clarke, on two, out of his crease.

Jones also missed Hussey on 48. The batsman mistimed a pull off Harmison and England’s wicket-keeper failed to hold on to a difficult diving chance after sprinting 30 yards to square-leg.

Hussey was given one more lifeline when he was dropped on 78 off the first delivery after the drinks break, edging Hoggard to Andrew Strauss in a wide first slip position, but again the opportunity was missed.

Panesar finally ended Hussey’s innings when he had him caught behind shortly before tea and Symonds edged him to slip to begin Gilchrist’s stunning onslaught.

Once Gilchrist had reached three figures Australia declared immediately and were rewarded further for their adventurous play by removing Strauss with the fourth ball of England's reply, lbw shouldering arms to Brett Lee.