Ashes: Ben Stokes Rips Through Australia, England on Verge of Regaining Urn

Australia were 241 for seven in their second innings, a deficit of 90 runs, when bad light ended play on the second day of the fourth Ashes Test against England at Trent Bridge on Friday. (Scorecard)

Adam Voges was 48 not out and Mitchell Starc nought not out, with England eyeing a win that would give them a 3-1 lead in the five-match series and see them regain the Ashes.

Pace-bowling all-rounder Ben Stokes had figures of five for 35 in 16 overs -- his second five-wicket haul in his 15-match Test career after he took six for 99 against Australia at Sydney in January last year.

Earlier, England captain Alastair Cook declared his side's first innings on a total of 391 for nine.

That left England with a mammoth first-innings lead of 331 after they had skittled out Australia for just 60 in 111 balls -- the shortest-ever completed first innings of a Test match -- on Thursday.

Joe Root top-scored for England with 130 and Jonny Bairstow made 74 as the Yorkshire duo put on 173 for the fourth wicket.

Stuart Broad, who had wrecked Australia's first innings with a Test-best eight for 15, was 24 not out when Cook called a halt to England's reply.

Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc led Australia's attack with Test-best figures of six for 111.

Victory at Trent Bridge will see England regain the Ashes after they were whitewashed 5-0 in Australia in 2013/14.