Australia dismissed key batsmen Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell to plunge England closer to defeat in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide on Sunday.
Peter Siddle grabbed the crucial breakthrough, ending England's first century partnership of the series when he bowled Pietersen for 53 off an inside edge.
And shortly before tea, Bell was on his way back to the dressing room for six after playing an injudicious shot off part-time leg-spinner Steve Smith.
Pietersen put on 111 runs for the third wicket with Joe Root after the tourists lost openers Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry cheaply in the morning session.
It was a big wicket for Australia, with Pietersen having scored 227 and 158 in his previous two Ashes Tests at the ground.
It was the ninth time Siddle has dismissed Pietersen in Tests, including twice in this match.
At tea, England, chasing an unlikely target of 531 runs to win and prevent Australia from taking a decisive 2-0 lead in the five-Test series, were 143 for four.
Root, batting with authority at number three in the enforced absence of Jonathan Trott with a stress illness, was unbeaten on 66 with Ben Stokes yet to score.
Senior batsman Bell hung his head after hitting a Smith full-toss to man of the moment Mitchell Johnson, who took a sprawling catch at mid-on. Bell had top-scored with an unbeaten 72 in England's first innings of 172. Michael Clarke declared Australia's second innings at the overnight score of 132-3, and England, who beat Australia 3-0 at home earlier this year, got off to a shaky start, losing Cook for one in Johnson's opening over and Carberry 10 overs later.
Cook's scalp was Johnson's eighth wicket of the match after he captured seven for 40 in England's first innings. The left-arm paceman now has 17 wickets in the series.
The skipper was out to Johnson's third ball of his opening over, hitting the ball straight to Ryan Harris at fine leg.
It was a demoralising moment for England, needing to occupy the crease and bat out the final two days. The cheap dismissal completed a dire Test for Cook, who was spectacularly bowled by Johnson for three in the first innings.
In his past seven tests against Australia, the England captain has scored 359 runs at an average of 25.
Carberry, who batted sensibly for 60 in the first innings, was out hooking Peter Siddle for 14 in the 12th over, leaving England 20-2. Nathan Lyon, positioned on the fine leg rope, took the catch just above the ground.