Australia remains on top of the Ashes Test, but a fine century from captain Heather Knight saw England fight back to 8-235 at stumps on day two in Canberra.
On the same day Darcie Brown became Australia's youngest Test wicket-taker in eight years, star all-rounder Ellyse Perry broke through England's top-order.
It left the tourists still trailing England by 102, avoiding the follow-on when they looked in trouble at eight down but still battling to stay in the series.
A win in Canberra will see Australia retain the Ashes, while a draw would leave them on the brink of keeping the trophy with just one win needed in the ensuing three ODIs.
If not for Knight's lone hand of 127*, the situation could have been far worse for England.
Her score is the equal-highest by a visiting batter in Australia, while her unbeaten 66-run ninth-wicket stand with Sophie Ecclestone (27*), was crucial after they joined at 8-169.
Australia's national team has long comprised an old and new guard, with a generation that drove the women's game forward and a younger group who have benefited from their success in the pathways.
After captain Meg Lanning and her deputy Rachael Haynes set up Australia's 9-337 declared with a 169-run stand on day one, fellow veteran Perry was back to her best on Friday with 2-35.
The all-rounder trapped Tammy Beaumont with a good one that beat the inside edge, while her next wicket came when Sophia Dunkley hung her bat out and chopped on for 15.
It came after Perry was dropped for the Twenty20 component of the multi-format Ashes series, but she was always a certainty for the Tests.
Brown's first Test scalp came from a ball that swung away from Lauren Winfield-Hill's edge, with the opener playing away from her body as she fell in the slips.
Aged 18, Brown is the youngest male or female player to take a Test wicket for Australia since 17-year-old Holly Ferling struck in 2013.
Young all-rounder Annabel Sutherland (2-52) also bagged two wickets, joining Brown and Alana King (1-43) in claiming their first Test scalps.
It was Brown who took a nice diving catch for one of Sutherland's, getting Amy Jones on the pull shot for 13.
Sutherland's other wicket was a gem, jagging back to claim Nat Sciver's inside edge on 15.
Leg-spinner King is meanwhile caught between the two generations, making her Test debut at age 26 after moving across the country for her chance.
She bowled with great control, claiming her maiden wicket in the form of Katherine Brunt, skidding one on to the England great and trapping her LBW for 1 just before tea.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
Live updates
By Dean Bilton
By Dean Bilton
THAT'S STUMPS! England 8-235 (Knight 127*, Ecclestone 27*) trails by 102 runs
It's Heather Knight's day. The highest Test score by a visiting batter in Australia, and an innings of the absolute highest quality. The match, and as a result the series, would just about be a write off by now if not for this most patient, composed and determined of Test hundreds. That late partnership with Sophie Ecclestone has turned the tide when things were looking really dire for England.
Australia bowled pretty well for the most part, with Annabel Sutherland the pick of the quicks and Alana King the pick of the spinners. There were wickets for Darcie Brown, Jess Jonassen and Ash Gardner too, and Australia's fielding remained at a high standard throughout. But Knight never really gave them a chance, and there was little they could do to stop her.
With rain on the forecast for tomorrow, it'll be interesting to see where things go from here. Australia still needs two quick wickets and then will probably have to get some fast runs flying if they want to chase a win. England are in a position now where a good innings with the ball could set up an achievable run chase. It's all still to play for, so join me tomorrow morning when we will do it all again.
By Dean Bilton
87th over - Sutherland to bowl it
So if she can race through this one they might sneak in another. Might be better served taking her time and making them count though.
FOUR RUNS! Loose down the leg side and Ecclestone clips it very fine again. This is now a massive partnership in the context of the game.
Sensational shot from Ecclestone. Punched down the ground expertly for three.
FOUR MORE! Now Knight joins in! Beautifully off the pads for yet another boundary. Some punishment for Sutherland in this over.
This will definitely be the last over of the day now.
One more for Knight to end the over. Australia tries to stake a claim for one more, but the umpires say that will be stumps.
By Dean Bilton
86th over - Perry to bowl it
Might be her last set for the day, and she starts with a wide one.
That one kept a little low to Knight, but she was quick enough to keep it out. She's faced 243 balls now, so she's seeing them okay.
Lovely shot from Knight through cover again. There's a sweeper still in that position though, so it's only one.
Perry's a bit all over the shop. Too straight again and clipped fine by Ecclestone for one more to end the over.
By Dean Bilton
85th over - Annabel Sutherland is given a go
A couple of overs before stumps for Australia's best pacer of the day.
IN THE AIR! Just over the head of short midwicket! Bit of luck for Knight there, a genuine false shot that nearly spooned straight to the fielder.
FOUR! Full toss from Sutherland and put away for a boundary down the ground from Ecclestone. Bit too easy, and that's a 50 partnership between these too.
Five runs from the Sutherland over. Time for two, maaayyyybe three more tonight.
By Dean Bilton
84th over - Perry continues
And Knight pulls a short one away for another single.
It's a dead bat that Ecclestone is presenting here. Surviving until stumps appears to be the order of the day now.
And another no ball.
AND FOUR! Too straight from Perry, and Ecclestone clips it through midwicket for four more.
A tired over from Perry ends.
By Dean Bilton
83rd over - Brown to have another crack
Ecclestone on strike to begin with.
No ball called by the third umpire. I believe that's Australia's 10th of the day.
EDGED! Short of gully. Soft hands save Ecclestone.
And a full toss to end the over, but for no run. 18 minutes to play.
By Dean Bilton
82nd over - Ellyse Perry from the other end
She hasn't bowled this session, so should be fresh for this late afternoon spell. Time for a few Perry overs here.
Perry is bowling T20 lengths here, with three attempted yorkers from her first three balls. Ecclestone jams down and takes a single from that one.
THROUGH HER! Between bat and pad and over the off stump. Well bowled, but Knight doesn't look to concerned.
AND AGAIN! Knight is making it seem as if the stayed low, but she just didn't seem to pick it up at all.
Over bowled, one from it.
By Dean Bilton
81st over - There's the new ball, and here's Darcie Brown
A shiny new Kookaburra is in Darcie Brown's hand, and Australia will be hoping to finish this innings off swiftly.
Half an LBW shout but that would have slipped past the leg stump. Knight runs hard to turn one into two.
FOUR RUNS! A yorker turned into a full toss, and Knigth clipped it very fine off her toes for four. This is a very handy partnership now for England.
SHOT! Even better! The new ball is flying off the middle of Heather Knight's bat. That was a cracker of a cut shot for four.
A good over for England.
By Dean Bilton
80th over - King to bowl possibly the last one with this old ball
Do Australia take the newy straight away?
Knight takes a single before Ecclestone chops one away past first slip for a couple more.
BEATEN! Was there a stumping chance there? Not sure Ecclestone's foot moved for long enough, but Healy couldn't take it cleanly anyway.
Well defended by Ecclestone, and the 80th over is complete.
By Dean Bilton
79th over - Jonassen around the wicket to Knight
Knight leans back and glides one to backward point for a single.
A yorker to finish, but Ecclestone digs it out. Australia really flying through these overs right now.
By Dean Bilton
78th over - More from King
A single apiece to start the over.
Singles everywhere! Five of them from that over, and it's starting to feel like we're biding our time a little until the new ball arrives.
By Dean Bilton
So with the King review that was landing outside leg (74th over) would have spun in towards the wickets. Why didn't they consider that King was bowling spin? They didn't even have the ball bouncing graphic.
-A
A batter can't be given out LBW if the ball pitches outside the line of the leg stump, regardless of whether it is going to go on and hit them.
By Dean Bilton
77th over - Jess Jonassen is back
Rotating through the spinners right now with the new ball nearby.
Knight goes aerial! Down the wicket and over the bowler, but only for two.
And now the lap sweep for one more. Chalk off that follow on.
Good arm ball from Jonassen to finish, but Ecclestone keeps it out.
By Dean Bilton
76th over - King once more
Knight cuts away for a single.
CLOSE! That turned into a dipping yorker from King, and somehow Ecclestone got some inside edge on it to keep it off her stumps.
Knight sweeps away for one more.
She'd be within her rights to be feeling tired now, Alana King. But her bowling standards haven't yet dropped.
By Dean Bilton
75th over - Gardner again
So we've got 15 overs or, more probably, about 50 minutes of cricket left in the day. New ball due in six overs if they want it.
Nicely played by Ecclestone through point that time, a couple more to the tally. Follow on nearly out of the equation.
Those two are the only runs of the over though, round we go.
By Dean Bilton
74th over - King to bowl her 20th over
Ecclestone on strike and defending down the line.
BIG LBW SHOUT! Not out again! A bit leg sidey, but this was more of a convincing appeal. We have another review.
Reckon it's pitched outside leg.
Yep, pitched outside leg. Remains not out.
Ecclestone takes the single on offer from the final ball of the over, and she will keep the strike.
Audience comment by Jeremy
So in one innings, the English women have done what it took the men three Tests to do... score a century.<br>Well done Knight!
By Dean Bilton
73rd over - Gardner to bowl to Knight
She will be relieved to have reached triple figures, but don't expect any let up. Job isn't done yet.
Another one off the pads down to fine leg for a Knight single.
Patient stuff from Ecclestone, who has one run from her first 17 balls.
There's her second one, and Ecclestone will keep the strike for the next over.
