King spins Australia towards women's Ashes whitewash

Alana King is again weaving her magic in front of the Shane Warne Stand at the MCG, putting Australia three wickets away from completing the first women's Ashes whitewash.

After claiming 4-45 in the first innings, King (3-33) struck three times in the second session of day three to have England reeling at 7-117.

Allrounder Ashleigh Gardner (3-28) bowled in tandem with her spin twin for the last hour of the session on Saturday to pile further pain on England.

Gardner took the wicket of wicketkeeper Amy Jones with the last ball before tea.

The beleaguered tourists still need another 154 just to make Australia bat again.

England showed some resistance through veteran opener Tammy Beaumont (47) and captain Heather Knight (32), but then lost 4-9 to virtually ensure the match will finish before stumps on Saturday night.

King's dismissal of Sophia Dunkley was a classic legspinner's wicket, sharply turning from leg stump to crash into off stump.

Speaking after play on day one, King hoped the late Warne would have enjoyed legspin bowling again being on show in a Test at MCG.

There is no doubt the legendary spin king would have loved her wicket of Dunkley.

Australia will secure the first 16-0 points whitewash since the multi-format series was introduced for the women's Ashes back in 2013 if they can win this Test.

Even when the women's Ashes didn't include ODIs and T20s, Australia or England never managed a clean-sweep in a series of three or more matches.

Earlier, centuries to Annabel Sutherland (163) and Beth Mooney (106) powered Australia to 440.

Australia batted for less than an hour on Saturday, losing 5-18 after England responded well with the ball following a disastrous day in the field on Friday.

Mooney became the first Australian woman to score an international century in all three formats of the game.

The consistent star posted her first Test hundred, reaching the milestone from the final ball of the first over on Saturday.

Mooney was left stranded on 98 not out at stumps on Friday night.

But after five nervous balls to start day three, the 31-year-old hit a square drive to join Sutherland in piling on more pain to beleaguered England.

Mooney is just the fourth woman to post a ton in Tests, ODIs and T20s, after England pair Knight and Beaumont, and South Africa star Laura Wolvaardt.

The left-hander has scored three ODI centuries and two in T20s.

Spinner Sophie Ecclestone (5-143) claimed three of the five Australian wickets to fall on Saturday, putting a nightmare day two behind her.

Quicks Lauren Filer and Lauren Bell each finished with two wickets.

England have been their own worst enemy during this Test, putting down nine chances during Australia's 131 overs at the crease.

Sutherland was dropped twice early in her masterful knock, and Mooney was put down three times.

Star Ellyse Perry, who was replaced at No.3 by Sutherland, inexplicably came out to bat at No.10 despite Australia being so far ahead in the game.

Perry hurt her hip while fielding on Thursday and looked extremely sore during her brief batting stint.

She won't field, replaced by allrounder Georgia Wareham.