Day three began with a dejected England looking as though they knew they had no hope of extracting a victory from the test, and also knowing they would have to bat out at least two days to salvage a draw. But that was yet to come, as Border and Healy resumed Australia's mammoth total. England got the early breakthrough though, dismissing Healy, clean bowled by Fraser, second ball of the day without adding to the overnight total. Off-spinner Trevor Hohns joined captain Border, and the pair batted through the morning taking Australia past 600. Border unselfishly stuck to his declaration target of 600, even though it left his 35 shy of a century on 65, and declared Australia's innings closed shortly before lunch on 602 for 6, the second time in the series Australia had passed 600.