Clarke smashes some runs past Alastair Cook [AFP]

Clarke hit a classy 125 while Haddin was also unbeaten on 80 as Australia chase what would be a record 522 to win, after England declared on their overnight total of 311-6.

The Australian batsmen took the light on Sunday evening and went into the pavillion with their partnership at 185.

Earlier England saw the back of Australia captain Ricky Ponting as they appeared to be cruising towards their first Ashes win at Lord's in 75 years.

Ponting had added just one run to his lunch score when 10 balls after the break he played on to pace bowler Stuart Broad for 38.

His exit left Australia in dire straits at 78 for three and  continued Ponting's poor run of Test scores at Lord's, where his best is 42.

Swann on song

Off-spinner Graeme Swann got in on the act before tea on Sunday with two wickets for two runs in 19 balls.

He removed left-hander Michael Hussey (27) with a ball that  turned and bounce thanks to Paul Collingwood's sharp slip catch.

Hussey was given out by West Indies umpire Billy Doctrove although replays suggested the ball may have missed the outside edge – one of several umpiring decisions that went against Australia on Sunday.

But there was no doubt about Swann's next wicket, with Marcus North bowled between bat and pad to leave Australia 128 for five.

Injury-hit all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who before this match said he would retire from Test cricket at the end of the Ashes, had struck twice to reduce Australia to 34 for two before lunch.

Controversy

But controversy surrounded both wickets, with veteran umpire Rudi Koertzen, standing in his 100th Test, missing a no-ball in the lead-up to Simon Katich's exit and then giving Phillip Hughes out to a disputed slip catch by England captain Andrew Strauss.

Fast bowler Flintoff, saw Katich guide his eighth ball Sunday to the gully where Kevin Pietersen safely held the catch.

Replays showed Flintoff had overstepped the crease.

Ashes-holders Australia then saw Hughes, their other left-handed opener, on 17 edge Flintoff to first slip Strauss.

The 20-year-old started to walk off but was told to stay by Ponting, who on Saturday had seen England's Ravi Bopara reprieved after the umpires referred a low catch to TV umpire Nigel Llong.

But this time around Koertzen, after asking Doctrove if the ball had carried, gave the decision without calling for Llong's assistance.

With a full day to play and five wickets in hand, Australia can se a new world record for the highest fourth innings total to win a Test, surpassing the 418 for seven made by the West Indies against Australia in Antigua in 2002/03.