Australia's dynamic pace attack have decimated England on day two of the fifth Test, putting the home side in a position where only a record-breaking chase can deny them an Ashes whitewash at the SCG.
A mentally broken England will need to produce a minor miracle if they're to avoid an unwanted place in history, with Australia going to stumps at 4-140 already holding a commanding lead of 311.
England suffered the second worst collapse of an already disastrous series to be all out for 155 at tea, surrendering a 171-run deficit.
Ryan Harris (3-36), Mitchell Johnson (3-33) and Peter Siddle (3-23) were devastating and England stand little chance given batting conditions are tough and the highest ever fourth-innings chase at the SCG of 2-228 has already been eclipsed.
"It's obviously not a done thing yet ... we figure they're going to fire at some stage," said Harris, before quipping he was "trying to be nice."
Harris warned England to expect more of the same in 2015, with the mature-age trio eager to stay together for an Ashes defence in the UK in 18 months time.
If the third Ashes 5-0 clean-sweep is secured, it will be largely credited to a fast bowling attack that's survived unchanged through the series and been described by Glenn McGrath as the equal of any he's seen.
"We don't see it that way. That's our job, we've got to go out and do it," Harris continued.
"Hopefully we can maintain that for another two years. If we keep that pressure on ... teams won't score many runs."
If Chris Rogers (73 not out) can make his second ton of the series and George Bailey (20no) can produce a career-saving knock, Australia will be pressing into world record territory by setting a target of 400 plus.
Australia suffered another worrying top order slide of their own to lose 4-91 in the final session, but not for the first time this series, their failings are unlikely to matter thanks to the form of the bowlers and the incompetence of England's batsmen.
Thirteen wickets fell on an action-packed day two, after England resumed on 1-8.
After 70 deliveries they were in complete disarray having lost a further four wickets for just 17 runs to be 5-23.
At that point chief executives from Cricket Australia, the SCG and the McGrath Foundation might have been tearing their hair out at the prospect of a two-day Test.
England crawled their way past 127 runs to avoid the follow on, but it seems only a matter of time until the third 5-0 clean-sweep in Ashes history is secured.
Only two England batsmen made it out of the teens, Stuart Broad (30 not out) and impressive allrounder Ben Stokes, who was bowled by Siddle for a top score of 47.
England's top five batsmen produced a top score of 7 - an all-time low - with six players recording single-figure scores.
Harris' trapped Alastair Cook with the second ball of the day and should have been on a hat-trick when Ian Bell was dropped a ball later by Shane Watson at slip.
Johnson (34 wickets for the series) then cranked up the heat on nightwatchman James Anderson, before Harris returned to remove Kevin Pietersen and unsung hero Siddle - with 16 wickets for the series - sent Bell packing.
"You need Peter Siddle in this Australian cricket team for as long as you can," praised Harris.
"He's a warhorse and he picks up wickets at tough times."
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