Thunderous rain and a gutsy 135-run stand from David Warner and Usman Khawaja have set up a history-making final day of the Ashes.

While rain had been expected in London on Sunday, the downpour that swept over The Oval in the middle session was much fiercer than anticipated, costing half a day’s play as Australia charged towards England’s target of 384.

With their backs against the wall, after the hosts posted 395 in the second dig, Warner (58) and Khawaja (69) turned back the clock to frustrate England and leave the visitors needing 249 runs on the final day for an unlikely Ashes miracle with a full complement of batters at their disposal.

After announcing his shock retirement at the end of day three, Australia gave Stuart Broad a guard of honour as he made his way out to bat again at the start of play.

And his batting ended in typical fashion as he pounded a Mitchell Starc bouncer over the rope in what ended up being his final ball faced in the Test Arena as James Anderson was trapped LBW by Todd Murphy balls later.

England were buoyant as Broad and Anderson took the new ball, but Warner and Khawaja learnt their lessons from a tiresome first innings.

They went after bad balls and scored off anything that even appeared loose.

Moeen Ali entered the attack in the ninth over, extracting turn even while struggling to get his wounded groin through the crease.

But Australia used their feet to counter and had the run rate around three an over.

It forced England to Plan B as they took pace off the ball on the slowing pitch.

Warner turned to a few sub-continent methods to combat a stacked offside field after the Lunch break as England refused to employ Mark Wood, who still had not bowled 30 overs into the innings.

Wood made his first appearance in the 32nd over, much to the delight of the London crowd.

He had Khawaja jumping straight away as an outside edge flew to the rope to bring up his half-century, just a ball after he and Warner passed the 100-run partnership.

It’s the first time an Australian opening pair have achieved the feat in England since the final Test of the 2015 Ashes at The Oval.

Warner notched his own half-century from a Wood bouncer.

The game was paused after Khawaja ducked into a bouncer, the ball striking so fiercely that England were given a replacement.

It found some movement instantly, but England got little use of it as the rain intervened.