London, August 25: Australia's Shane Warne became only the sixth bowler in Test cricket history and the first spinner to take 400 wickets, finishing the third day of the fifth and final Ashes Test here at The Oval on Saturday with six for 155.

But thanks mainly to Mark Ramprakash's 124 not out England, 3-1 down in the series, were still batting in their first innings at 409 for eight, just 33 runs short of avoiding the follow on, after Australia had piled up 641 for four declared.

Darren Gough, 17 not out, pulled the last ball of an unusually balmy day, from Jason Gillespie for four.

One hundred and ten balls after taking his 399th Test wicket Warne, in his 92nd Test, joined the 400 club when he had Alec Stewart caught by wicketkeeeper Adam Gilchrist for 29, England 313 for six.

Then, having waited so long to reach the magic figure, wicket 401 came next ball when Andrew Caddick was lbw for nought, Warne taking five or more wickets in an innings for the 19th time.

Test debutant Jimmy Ormond survived the hat-trick but was later bowled by Warne for 18, England 350 for eight.

But former Middlesex captain Ramprakash kept going, sweeping Warne for four to bring up a resilient century in five and a quarter hours, facing 196 balls including 15 fours. It was only his second Test century in 81 innings.

Ramprakash, 43 not out at tea, had made two more runs when he survived an impassioned lbw appeal for what would have been Warne's 400th Test wicket.

Although the batsman was right back in his crease, South African umpire Rudi Koertzen correctly decided the ball was missing leg stump.

Warne, who had already taken the first three wickets to fall in this innings, had earlier come close to the 400 mark when, in his second over after lunch, Gilchrist appealed for a stumping against Usman Afzaal (16) with England 188 for four.

Koertzen, at square leg, called for a replay and it looked as if Afzaal's back foot was on the line, not behind it, in which case he was out.

But the pictures were not completely conclusive and third umpire Mervyn Kitchen gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt.

Afzaal, in his third Test, cashed in by reaching his maiden Test fifty. With Australia setting attacking fields, his runs had come in good time, 74 balls faced including eight fours.

But four runs after reaching his half century, the 24-year-old Pakistan-born left-hander top edged a pull off Glenn McGrath to fellow fast bowler Gillespie at fine leg, England 255 for five.

England captain Nasser Hussain, 49 not out at lunch, duly made 50 but four balls later he was out playing on to former Essex team-mate and occasional off-spinner Mark Waugh.