Stuart Broad revived England's hopes of winning an enthralling opening Ashes test with a superb late burst just when Australia appeared to have taken the upper hand on Monday.

After bowling England out for 273 just before tea on the fourth day, Australia set about their 281 victory target in serene fashion but ended the day wobbling on 107 for three.

Australia's opener David Warner and first innings centurion Usman Khawaja looked rock-solid, putting on 61 before Warner edged a beauty from Ollie Robinson having made a fluent 36.

With England off-spinner Moeen Ali struggling for grip with a cut hand, Broad then returned for a second spell to swing the momentum back towards the hosts.

Whipping the raucous crowd into a frenzy, he had world number one test batsman Marnus Labuschagne caught behind for 13, having removed him for a duck in the first innings.

Steve Smith (6) then edged another Broad delivery into the waiting gloves of England keeper Jonny Bairstow.

Khawaja, who scored his first century in England in the first innings, remained unbeaten at the close on 34 with night watchman Scott Boland on 13 not out.

Rain is expected early on Tuesday before drier conditions and, with Australia requiring a further 174 runs and England needing seven wickets, a draw looks a remote possibility.

Broad, England's second most successful test bowler behind team mate James Anderson, took three wickets in Australia's first innings and returned to haunt the visitors who need the joint second-highest successful chase at Edgbaston to win.

A spellbinding four days now looks like providing a fitting climax which has echoes of the 2005 Ashes test at Edgbaston when Australia fell three runs short of chasing down 282.

England had begun the fourth day precariously placed on 28 for two after Sunday's rain-shortened action, a lead of 35.

Instead of a cagey start, however, Joe Root immediately went into full 'Bazzball' mode, attempting a reverse scoop off the first ball of the day bowled by Pat Cummins, missing it, and seeing the ball whistle over his stumps, before breaking into a smile.

Root then produced two more reverse scoops in the next over off Boland, the first going for four and the second for an outrageous six, then pummelled a more conventional boundary.

Initially bamboozled, Australia struck back with Cummins flattening Ollie Pope's off stump with a superb inswinger.

Root was joined by Harry Brook and they put on a swift 52 in 49 balls with Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon's opening over of the day going for 14.

Lyon hit back though and deceived a charging Root who was stumped by wicketkeeper Alex Carey for 46 -- the first time in 131 tests he has been dismissed in that way.

Brook also fell four short of his half century, attempting to sweep Lyon through the leg side but only picking out Labuschagne who took a low catch.

England led by 162 runs at lunch and with Ben Stokes and Bairstow together they looked set for an afternoon onslaught but again Australia hit back.

Stokes's and Bairstow's partnership moved to 46 before Bairstow (20) tried to sweep Lyon and was out lbw.

Cummins then angled a ball in to the pads of Stokes who reviewed his lbw in hope more than expectation.

Moeen also got a good start but was out caught behind trying to swipe away a short Josh Hazlewood ball.

Robinson, Broad and Anderson then added useful late runs to push Australia's victory target over the 250 mark.