Only once in Ashes history has a team come from 2-0 down to win when Australia, inspired by Don Bradman, cricket's greatest batsman, did just that to triumph 3-2 on home soil in 1936/37.
And given batting remains this Australia side's Achilles heel, they will do well from this position to stop England retaining the urn.
Australia, set a mammoth 583 for an improbable victory, were dismissed for 235 on the fourth day.
But with just three balls left in the day's play, off-spinner Graeme Swann had Pattinson, who had frustrated England with the bat in their 14-run first Test win at Trent Bridge, lbw for 35 to the acclaim of a capacity and sun-drenched crowd.
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Swann finished with innings figures of four wickets for 78 runs for a match haul of nine for 122.
The scale of Australia's task was clear from the fact that no side have made more to win in the fourth innings of a Test than the West Indies' 418 for seven against Australia at St John's in 2002/03.
England had resumed today on 333 for five, already a lead of 566, with Root, attacked by now sidelined Australia batsman David Warner in a Birmingham bar in June, hitting the tourists where it hurt.
There was no immediate declaration with Root given the chance to turn his second Test century into 200.
But when he holed out off Harris, to end a 338-ball innings including 18 fours and two sixes spanning nearly eight hours, England captain Alastair Cook called a halt.