England’s hopes of hanging on to the Ashes have sunk even further after Australia dominated Monday’s opening session on day four of the third Test.

Shane Watson clubbed five sixes in his 103 before Australia declared on 6-369, setting England a massive victory target of 504.

England lost Alastair Cook in the first ball of their second innings – bowled by Ryan Harris – as the skipper became the first Test player to make a golden duck while celebrating his 100th match.

The tourists were 1-24 at lunch on a pitch which is cracking up significantly.

Australia lead the five-match series 2-0 and are perfectly placed in hot conditions to wrap up the series before the Boxing Day Test.

Resuming on 3-235, Australia declared after adding 134 runs in 17 overs at almost eight runs per over.

Watson had resumed on his overnight score of 29 off 66 deliveries.

The talented right-hander clubbed 103 off 108 deliveries.

It’s No.3 batsman Watson’s fourth hundred in a 49-Test career that has included 21 half-centuries.

Watson’s second 50 came off 28 balls.

Steve Smith made 15 before George Bailey smashed an unbeaten 39 off 30 deliveries.

Bailey hit a world record-equalling 28 (4-6-2-4-6-6) off the final over of the innings bowled by Jimmy Anderson.

Watson was Australia’s second century-maker of the innings after opener David Warner’s 112 against an attack depleted by the foot injury to pace spearhead Stuart Broad.

Broad has been cleared of a foot fracture and is expected to bat in England’s second innings but did not bowl in Australia’s second innings after receiving a blow while batting on Sunday.

South Africa scored 4-414 in 2008 in Perth in the second-highest successful fourth-innings run chase in Test history. However that WACA pitch was a docile surface in comparison to the cracked strip in use for the third Ashes Test.