(CNN) -- Australia are poised to win the third Test and level the Ashes series after England slumped to 81 for five wickets by stumps on the third day in Perth, chasing 391 for victory.
England were unable to cope with the pace and aggression of a fired-up Australian bowling attack as Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris took two wickets apiece while Ben Hilfenhaus claimed the prized scalp of Kevin Pietersen.
Only Jonathan Trott with a battling 31 offered much resistance but he went in the penultimate over of the day to Johnson, an edge flying to Australian captain Ricky Ponting at slip.
Ponting damaged his right hand in pushing the ball up for wicketkeeper Brad Haddin to catch and went off for immediate treatment.
England's dismal day was complete when Paul Collingwood edged Harris to Steve Smith off the final ball, the all-rounder taking a superb catch at third slip.
Harris was the first to strike when he removed opener Alastair Cook lbw for 13 before Johnson, who turned the course of the match with six wickets in England's first innings, had captain Andrew Strauss caught by Pointing.
That brought Pietersen to the wicket, determined to erase the memory of his first innings duck. But he lasted only 23 balls before wafting at a ball from Hilfenhaus, which he should have left, to be caught by Shane Watson for 3. CNN
