NOTTINGHAM, England, July 6: Australian coach Bobby Simpson said he was very concerned about the groin Injury which sidelined strike bowler Merv Hughes midway through the fourth day of the third Test against England on Monday, reports Reuter.

",We are very worried about it. He will not bowl again in the match and has a problem high up in the groin area," Simpson said at the end of a day which saw England climb back from the brink of defeat.

" We will not know how serious it is until he has rested it for a while. The nature of the injury is such, though, that we expect him to be pit in time for the fourth Test at Headingley.”

Simpson praised the batting of England captain Graham Gooch and Test debutant Graham Thorpe but said : " The pitch is still perfect for batting and we are confident of getting a draw."

The pair had combined to defy the Australian attack for most of the day, almost certainly preventing the visitors taking a third victory In a row and thus making Sure of retaining the Ashes.

Gooch made 120, his 19th Test century, while Thorpe was unbeaten on 88 at the close as England reached 362 for six an overall lead of 310.

It left England manager Keith Fletcher a happy man at last.

" I've got a smile on my face for the first time in six months,” he said.

" I hope that today will be a turning point for us?

"This match has shown we have got young quality players. Of course. Graham Gooch will "Ecirrepteaegble but Thorpe, Nasser Hussafirj'-Martin Mc-Cague and Mark Hott have all contributed much to our effort in this match.

, "If you have young players around. H always brings a breath of fresh air into the set up.

"We have had the best al mosphere in this dressing room that I've known— and the young players have lifted It a bit.

" And the youngsters may well have made Graham Gooch perform a bit better too.

Veteran Gooch. 40 later this month, began the day with close friends Insistent that he would quit as captain if England collapsed to yet an other Test defeat.

But. after resuming on 12 and carrying England's hopes of survival on his shoulders, Gooch was soon at his imperious best— becoming, at 103, only the eighth batsman in history to complete 8.000 Test runs. He was eventually out after batting for almost five hours and hitting a six and 16 fours.

Thorpe was understandably elated with his own performance.

” I'm delighted to play as well as I did not my debut— but 1 just want to finish the Job tomorrow. 1 want a hundred, and 1 want England to win," he said.