Australia's lower-order batters appear intent on frustrating England into submission as the hosts take a triple-figure lead into tea on day three at the Gabba.

After losing their fourth half-centurion in Alex Carey (63), Australia ground the second Ashes Test almost to a halt in a bid to extend their first innings into the evening.

The longer unbeaten pair Mitchell Starc (46 off 95 balls) and Scott Boland (7 off 27) can bat, the more likely England will have to face the dangerous Starc with a new pink ball under fading light.

Australia are 8-450, leading England by 116 runs in the day-night Test.

In the 16 overs between Carey swatting to Jamie Smith and tea, Australia scored 34 runs after going at better than five an over on a frenetic second day.

Handy with the bat, Starc took the strike as often as possible and confounded England's quicks after they had also struggled to make the best of the new ball in daylight on Friday.

Having also tormented England with the ball this series, Starc has now faced more balls this Test than any batter bar centurion Joe Root.

Ben Stokes finally threw the ball to spinner Will Jacks in the penultimate over before tea after the pace cartel had struggled to tempt Starc and Boland out of their defensive mindset.

Earlier, Carey had flaunted his cover drive en route to a 14th Test half-century and appeared the man to beef up a game-defining lead for Australia in Saturday's first session.

But the wicketkeeper swatted at a Gus Atkinson (1-85) delivery wide of off stump, leaving Starc and Boland at the crease.

Carey joined Cameron Green (45), Steve Smith (61), Marnus Labuschagne (65) and Jake Weatherald (72) in making a good start without truly punishing the English, whose bowling has looked a shadow of their impressive start to the series in Perth.

Michael Neser (16) missed out on the lower-order runs that appeared on the table after he controversially replaced veteran spinner Nathan Lyon in the XI.

The paceman, who has made five first-class hundreds, was caught behind off an outswinger from workhorse Stokes.

England risk losing WTC points for their slow over-rate, trailing by four when tea was called.

Australia fell eight behind in their first innings with the ball but avoided punishment by bowling England out within 80 overs - a feat that proved beyond the tourists.