England are storming towards victory in the final Ashes Test after leashing Australia’s quicks on day three at The Oval.

The visitors will need to smash all sorts of records if they are to complete an Ashes series triumph after England amassed a 377-run lead with a calculated charge led by Joe Root (91) and Jonny Bairstow, who bit back at his critics with a powerful 78.

Australia’s quicks were battered around the ground for most of the day before lion-hearted efforts from Mitchell Starc (4-94) and Todd Murphy (3-110) brought the pain to an end.

Zak Crawley opened the day with a repeat of the first ball of the series before his partner Ben Duckett wiped out Australia’s lead inside the first over in a loose start from Starc.

Starc had been taken for 17 runs from seven balls and was pulled from the attack.

Pat Cummins brought himself on and looked good, but an hour later, Australia still hadn’t found a breakthrough and looked to be waiting for England to make a mistake.

Starc returned to the attack after drinks and delivered a sweet over.

He swung the ball past Duckett’s edge three times and reviewed the last one with Alex Carey, convinced there was a feather.

The review looked desperate but turned out to be genius as a nick was revealed, Duckett was gone for 42.

Unlike the first innings, Australia couldn’t make it a double blow as England captain Ben Stokes, promoted up the order due to Moeen Ali’s injury, combined with Crawley to add another 50 runs before Lunch.

The second session started with a bang as Stokes launched into a Josh Hazlewood bouncer, it flew to Starc at deep fine leg, but he never looked likely as it bounced from his hands and over the rope.

But Australia didn’t have to wait long for a wicket as Cummins found Crawley’s outside edge in the next over, the lanky Pom nicking through to Steve Smith at second slip, driving for a well-made 73.

Root settled in quickly before pulling out his reverse scoop against the quicks.

England had the lead past 200 when Stokes suddenly had a rush of blood against Murphy, looking to slog a delivery that dipped on him, chipping it to Cummins on 42.

This time one brought two as Hazlewood found the off-stump channel, moving one away from Harry Brook enough for him to nick it to Carey.

But that was the end of Australia’s joy over the next three hours as Root and Bairstow strode towards twin centuries.

Short balls didn’t get high enough, and the pair drove with authority, the Aussie’s persistent outriders spending the day fetching the ball.

Just as Root’s century looked a foregone conclusion, Murphy showed his bravery, tossing a ball into the rough outside off stump.

It turned, taking a small inside edge before clattering into Root’s middle stump on 91.

Starc was left shaking his head as Hazlewood completely missed a chance in the deep, the ball going to the rope after the big quick misjudged an Ali hook shot.

A bizarre set of shots from Bairstow saw the keeper throw away a Test ton, to his dismay, as he nicked a lazy square drive against Starc to Carey.

Chris Woakes survived an LBW call by the skin of his teeth, only to hit a stock Starc delivery straight to mid-off balls later.

Ali fell ramping a throat-high bouncer to deep third man while Wood fell hunting cheap runs, caught by Mitch Marsh at deep mid-wicket.

James Anderson and Stuart Broad ensured they wouldn’t have to bowl before stumps by coping a heated bouncer barrage in the final overs that nearly had the former stepping on his stumps twice.

The pair finished the day with England on 9-389 with a declaration expected overnight.