Thursday is shaping as D-day in Brad Haddin's quest to be fit for the fourth Test at Headingley starting on Friday.
Haddin, who missed the third Test after breaking his left ring finger moments before the start of the game, performed wicketkeeping drills and batted in the nets, albeit facing only throwdowns, at training on Wednesday.
The gloveman was given a painkilling injection but it will be how he pulls up from the session which will determine his availability.
Haddin was confident he would be fit to play in the Test.
"Everything has come through better than expected and it felt quite comfortable towards the end (of training)," Haddin told Cricinfo.
"I think I was just being a bit cautious to start with, having not caught any balls or done anything for a week and it being a bit tender. As I got into the session it got a lot more comfortable with how it felt."
"It's all well and good to do everything today but if you can't play the next four days of a Test match it's not worth it. I'm pretty confident it will be OK."
His deputy, Graham Manou, is also under an injury cloud. He is nursing a bruised hand after being struck while batting at Edgbaston on Monday.
Manou, who made his Test debut last week, received massage and ice treatment on Wednesday and trained only lightly but team management was confident he'd be available if required.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke is still considered a likely starter despite not taking part in training on Wednesday due to an abdominal strain.
"He is just resting up to make sure he's OK," said opener Shane Watson.
Losing Clarke and Haddin, who was the series' leading run-scorer before being deposed by the Australia vice-captain, would be a blow for the tourists, who are running out of time to square the series.
A loss at Headgingley would see England regain the Ashes while an Australian victory would give it the upper heading into the final Test at The Oval, which has been a batsman's paradise this summer.
"There's pressure definitely on us. We've got to win here, there's no doubt about it," Watson said.
"We need to raise the intensity. We've been able to do it for a period of time but we haven't been able to do it consistently, to keep it going for the whole five days."
"That's something we know we need to achieve to win this series. We're continuing to challenge ourselves to do that."