Heavy showers twice disrupted play on day four as Australia were searching for the six wickets which would deliver the Ashes.
But stoic resistance first from James Vince (55) and then the two heroes from the first innings, Dawid Malan (28no) and Jonny Bairstow (14no), gave England hope they may yet be able to claim the draw which would keep the series alive going to Melbourne.
It will be a big ask but at the close of play England were 132-4, trailing by 127.
Showers are forecast, particularly in the early part of the day (unusual for Perth) but England look up against it.
Particularly given Alastair Cook and Joe Root failed once again, both falling for 14 from 20 balls, Mark Stoneman was out in the second over and James Vince was out in unfortunate circumstances after a very tidy half century.
Vince’s wicket would have set alarm bells ringing in the England dressing room for two reasons. One because he was going well at the time on 55, looking largely untroubled and two, because Mitchell Starc’s delivery hit a crack in the wicket which completely changed the ball’s direction, going from leg stump to splattering off stump at 90mph.
It was unplayable and England as as such much rests on the two men in. Moeen Ali has looked susceptible to the short-pitched bowling in this series and England’s tail, of 9-11, has averaged just over 11 per man.
Play is set to start half an hour early tomorrow to make up for rain which lopped at least three times that off the fourth day’s play.
The twin pillars of Australia’s first innings had fallen early with Mitch Marsh failing to add to his overnight score lbw to Jimmy Anderson with the second ball of day and Steve Smith going the same way four overs later for 239.
Mitch Starc was dismissed later in the same over after Paine and Starc got their wires crossed over a quick single and James Vince picked the ball up at gully and trotted in to whip off the bails.
Australia’s lead at that stage was 158 with seven down but Paine and Pat Cummins were to add a frustrating partnership of 93 for the eighth wicket before Anderson claimed the bowler as his third victim lbw.
It was a damaging stand and when Nathan Lyon got a leading edge to a big heave off Anderson which looped up to Moeen at mid on, Smith called his men in nine down and with a lead of 259.
Australia’s 662-9 declared was the highest score in an Ashes match in Australia eclipsing the previous high water mark of 659-8 at Sydney in 1946-47.
England made a poor start to their task of making Australia bat Stoneman falling in tame fashion to Josh Hazlewood, prodding outside off stump.
But it was the wickets of Alastair Cook and Joe Root, the captain aiming a loose drive at the first ball sent down by Nathan Lyon which had Australia sensing victory.
