Relentless England were just three wickets away from their first Down Under series victory in 24 years as Australia folded under pressure in the final Sydney Ashes Test yesterday.

Needing either a win or a draw to claim the series, England hit their highest-ever score in Australia of 644 and then ripped through Australia to take seven wickets and have a win at the mercy in today’s final day.

England, who lead the series 2-1, have already retained the Ashes at last week’s fourth Melbourne Test and are now looking to crown it with a well-deserved series triumph.

At the close, Australia had been reduced to 213 for seven with Steven Smith on 24 and Peter Siddle on 17 and still 151 runs in arrears.

The pace trio of James Anderson, Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett bowled England to the verge of victory with irresistible displays of swing bowling.

Anderson, getting tantalising late reverse swing, snared the wickets of debutant Usman Khawaja and acting captain Michael Clarke to take his series haul to 23.

Khawaja, who made a promising debut in the first innings, played away from his body and deflected a catch to Matt Prior off Anderson for 21.

Clarke looked to have played himself in when on 41 he was bamboozled by Anderson’s late movement off the pitch and gave Prior another catch.

It culminated in a dismal batting series for Clarke with just 193 runs at 21.44.

Bresnan chipped with the crucial wicket of Australia’s leading series scorer Mike Hussey, caught head-high by Kevin Pietersen for 12.

Australia then suffered a tumble of wickets with Brad Haddin (30) and Mitchell Johnson (0) falling on consecutive Tremlett deliveries only for Siddle to see off the hat-trick attempt.

Strauss sought an extra half-hour’s play from the umpires in a bid to press a result inside four days.

Australia’s second innings foundered early with the chaotic run out of Shane Watson for 38 in a dreadful breakdown in communication with Phillip Hughes.

Hughes lasted just seven more overs before he fell for 13 in a familiar mode of dismissal, tickling outside offstump to a slanting Tim Bresnan delivery to the slips.