Ian Bell's near-perfect 192 ensured England a position of dominance as they sought to complete their preparations for the first Ashes Test with a final warm-up victory over Australia A at Hobart.

Bell's 275-ball tour de force included 22 fours and a six, much expert timing and placement and precious few mistakes, in England's 523 all out midway through the third day.

With a 293-run lead in the bag, England's second-string attack began the task of bowling the tourists to victory on a Bellerive Oval wicket that was showing only a few signs of wear going into the final day.

Tim Bresnan led that charge with first three wickets, including Ashes hopefuls Usman Khawaja and Callum Ferguson, to leave Australia A 128 for three at the close.

That left England needing another seven wickets, with 165 runs still up their sleeve before they would be forced to bat again, to complete a second warm-up victory in three games before flying to Brisbane for next week's Ashes opener.

England's bowlers faced a tougher task on a pitch that had lost most of the demons from the first morning when they cut through Australia A's top order.

With patience required, former Hampshire star Chris Tremlett maintained a tight line to keep the scoring rate down, conceding 18 runs from his opening nine-over spell, although Ajmal Shahzad was made to pay by Phil Hughes whenever he fell short with a couple of blistering cut shots.

Hughes, who ended the 2010 English county season playing for Hampshire - without too much success, it has to be said - and his opening partner Ed Cowan steadily put on 66, but just as wickets looked a distant hope Bresnan struck twice in two balls.

The Yorkshireman was slightly lucky to remove Cowan, who dragged a cramped pull shot onto his stumps, before almost certainly ending Khawaja's first Test hopes when he feathered the next ball through to Matt Prior.

To add to Khawaja's woes the under-fire Michael Hussey was at the same time reaching a century for Western Australia in their Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.

England could have had a third wicket, for no addition, had Paul Collingwood managed to hang on to a very sharp chance away to his right at slip when Hughes edged a cut off Monty Panesar.

Bresnan's hopes of playing next week remain remote, with England having settled on their first-choice attack and sent them up to Queensland early.

But he did for another Australian Ashes aspirant when Ferguson stayed back and was bowled off-stump by another delivery which did just enough and meant three wickets had fallen for 18 runs.

Hughes (58 not out) and Cameron White (22no) settled matters to guide the home side through to the close.

Earlier, Bell dominated a sixth-wicket stand of 240 with Collingwood (89).

He appeared entirely in control throughout - and with 198 already in his and Collingwood's joint account at start of play on the penultimate morning, the continuation was seamless.

Bell duly completed the double-hundred partnership, with a square-driven four off Mark Cameron in the third over of the day.

There was no hint of a wicket, until Clint McKay decided to alter his length to Collingwood and immediately got him in a tangle.

One bouncer sailed high over the batsman, was called a wide and needed an athletic jump by wicketkeeper Tim Paine to stop more extras.

But the next slid on much more quickly and lower to hit Collingwood on the helmet - and two balls later an unbalanced, front-footed pull ended only in an edge behind.

It was an ugly end to a thoroughly competent and important 177-ball stay which contained 10 fours and one six.

After a breezy 27, Prior also went in disappointing fashion when he aimed a big hit over the top at Steve Smith and miscued to be caught at point.

Bell began to mistime the occasional stroke only as fatigue perhaps took some effect - and on the verge of a maiden double-hundred for his country, he picked out the hands of short extra-cover with an inside-out drive from up the wicket at Smith.

It was belated and minor revenge for the all-rounder, who had almost certainly conceded his short-term Test aspirations via a Bell caning yesterday.

With the number six finally gone, England's tailenders took their cue to inflict a little more punishment - pressing on past 500, despite two late wickets for Steve O'Keefe (four for 88).