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 Crouch hat-trick is great send-off
SPECIAL REPORTMANCHESTER, England -- Striker Peter Crouch scored a hat-trick and Michael Owen also scored as England ran riot in a 6-0 rout of Jamaica in their final World Cup warmup at Old Trafford on Saturday. Frank Lampard began the goal bonanza at Old Trafford after 11 minutes, Jamaica's Jermaine Taylor headed into his own net and fellow defender Omar Daley was no luckier when a Crouch shot struck him and flew in the net. Michael Owen, who has been plagued by a foot injury since Dec. 31, struck the fourth on 32 minutes. Crouch completed his treble after 66 and 89 minutes. The lanky striker claimed his second of a sunlit day with a 66th minute tap-in, but he looked to have spurned his chance of a hat-trick when he skied an 82nd minute penalty won by Owen over the bar. But seven minutes later he rifled England's sixth after a neat pass from Owen, who was playing his first full 90 minutes since his injury. The classy finish from the edge of the area made for a perfect send-off for England, who open their World Cup campaign next Saturday against Paraguay in Group B. "I think Peter Crouch will start next Saturday," manager Sven-Goran Eriksson said after the match. "I think he deserves it." "It was good, there were a lot of positive things," Eriksson added. "Jamaica maybe aren't the best team in the world but six goals and a clean sheet - you should be happy." It was not all good news for England however. Three minutes after Owen had scored his first goal of 2006, Ashley Cole joined earlier injury-victim John Terry on the sidelines and Luton Shelton and Ricardo Gardner both went close for Jamaica in the closing minutes of the half. On the hottest day of the year so far in Manchester, the tempo of the match predictably dropped after the break, but England were still able to produce a well-worked fifth goal, mid-way through the second period. Captain David Beckham's pass through the inside right channel sent Jamie Carragher clear of the Jamaica back line and his cross, driven low across the goalmouth, was tapped in by Crouch at the back post. Crouch's afternoon looked like ending on a sour note when he fluffed an 82nd-minute penalty over the bar after substitute Khari Stephenson had pulled down Owen in the box. But he made amends with a lovely first time finish from the edge of the area after Owen had squared Stewart Downing's cross back to him. 
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