MANCHESTER.

Aug 7 (Internet report): England have successfully negotiated a tricky final day Monday to claim a creditable draw from the third Test match against the West Indies at Old Trafford.

The home-side were set an unlikely victory target of 293 after West Indies captain Jimmy Adams batted England out of the game. But a combination of rain and dogged batting from Mike Atherton. Marcus Trescothick and Nasser Hussain saw England to safety.

Courtney Walsh did make a breakthrough for the tourists when he had Atherton caught behind off another leg-cutter for 28. But with the rain taking the players off at regular intervals on the final day. a draw always looked a likely result.

Debutant Trescothick added 37 not out to his first innings 66 and will ba delighted with his first Test performance. Captain Hussain ended on 6 not out as the game petered out in to something of an anti-climax.

England made an early breakthrough this morning before West Indies made steady progress towards the declaration on a tense final day.

Craig White trapped Franklyn Rose with the score on 384 to leave West Indies seven down but Curtly Ambrose and Ridley Jacobs put together an unbroken 54-run partnership to steer the tourists past 400 with little alarm before Adams called a halt shortly after midday with the score on 438-7.

Ambrose was the driving force, scoring a quickfire 36 which included a huge six off the bowling of spinner Robert Croft

England would have to buck the course of history to reach their goal. The highest ever score made in the fourth innings of an Old Trafford Test to win the game is 145.

The two teams are level 1-1 hi the five-Test series.