Crouch keen to link up with Defoe for England

Peter Crouch is confident his successful partnership with Jermain Defoe at Portsmouth can thrive with England if the pair are chosen for the World Cup qualifiers against Kazakhstan and Belarus. The duo have struck up a good understanding on the English south coast since Crouch made the summer move from Liverpool to Fratton Park. Now Crouch has been rewarded by being recalled to the international fold by Fabio Capello after not being chosen for the previous two squads.

The Pompey pair face stiff competition from Emile Heskey and Wayne Rooney for a place in the starting line-up but Crouch has faith that he and Defoe would hit it off if needed by Capello. Crouch said: "I think it helps that we play together at club level. If we spend any time on the pitch with England, we will slip straight into how we play at Portsmouth. "I certainly think it helps. We haven't talked about playing for England together but it is an option and it will be of benefit that we play alongside each other week in and week out.

"We clicked together straight away. We play to each other's strengths. We set each other up and play very well as a combination. In fairness, I've played with Jermain right from the England Under-21s. The fact we played together will help internationally as well but we have certain other strikers in the squad who want to play as well." Meanwhile, the Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has handed Liverpool winger Albert Riera a recall for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Estonia and Belgium.

Riera's last appearance for Spain came during the March 26 friendly win over Italy in Elche but he has been rewarded for his promising start to life at Anfield by Del Bosque's decision to select him in place of the injured Diego Capel. * PA Sport