Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry shared the biggest opening partnership of the series before England lost two quick wickets to slip to 91-2 at tea Saturday after dismissing Australia for 385 on the second morning of the third Ashes test.
Cook, playing his 100th test, put on 85 for the first wicket with Carberry and was unbeaten on 42 at the interval. He survived a dropped catch on three in the six overs England had to bat before lunch but otherwise blunted the Australian attack on a bouncy WACA wicket.
Carberry had two reprieves — on 10 and 18 — in a chancy 43 before he was bowled by Ryan Harris. Joe Root (4) was given out caught behind with the total at 90 in a contentious DRS review.
Umpire Marais Erasmus raised the finger when Australia appealed for a catch off Shane Watson's bowling but England challenged it. The TV umpire's review — based on a slight movement on the snicko technology — had no evidence to overturn the decision. A stunned Root shook his head as he left the field and England's traveling "Barmy Army" of supporters raucously booed at the end of Watson's over.
Carberry had earlier nicked Mitchell Johnson between Michael Clarke and Steve Smith in the slips cordon with England at 29 and, with the total at 38, skied a top edge from an attempted pull against Peter Siddle that landed between a diving Brad Haddin and two fielders.
Otherwise, the England openers appeared more settled than at any other stage of the series when the first-wicket partnership has netted them 28, 1, 9 and 1.
Cook hit the usually meagre Watson out of the attack at one stage after driving and cutting consecutive balls for boundaries.
Carberry stepped down and drove Nathan Lyon's second ball for six and cut him for four in the next over to nullify the introduction of spin.
But Harris, who had a sharp chance off Cook put down at third slip in his second over, eventually got the first wicket and Watson came back into the attack with a better length and line to remove Root.
England's bowlers had earlier done well to take the last four wickets for 59 runs after Australia resumed at 326-6 on the second morning.
Stuart Broad had Johnson (39) caught behind without any addition to the overnight total before Jimmy Anderson snared two wickets, having Smith (111) caught behind off a very feint inside edge after a DRS referral and Harris (12) caught in the gully.
Last-wicket pair Siddle (21) and Lyon (17 not out) added 31 as the tail wagged in scorching heat in Perth.
Cracks started opening up in the baking conditions at Perth, where temperatures approached 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), and the ball started to move off the seam making it more awkward for the batsmen.
Australia has batted first and scored big wins in the first two tests and is aiming to reclaim the Ashes with a third straight victory at the WACA, where England hasn't tasted victory since 1978.
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