MANCHESTER, England (CMC):

THE REGGAE Boyz felt the full weight of a buoyant, World Cup-bound England as they were crushed 6-0 at Old Trafford yesterday.

Liverpool's gangly striker Peter Crouch hit a hat-trick, while England also benefited from goals from Frank Lampard, Michael Owen and an own-goal from Jermaine Taylor.

England could have won by a greater margin but Crouch missed a penalty late in the game.

While the victory capped a great preparation period for England ahead of the World Cup that begins next week, the loss was Jamaica's second in as many games after losing 4-1 to Ghana on Monday.

Lampard, Chelsea's magical midfielder, put England into an early lead in the 11th minute when he scored from 12 yards after a clinical build-up between Crouch and Owen.

Six minutes later, England went ahead 2-0 when Taylor headed a David Beckham free-kick past Donovan Ricketts in goal.

TWO GOALS IN THREE MINUTES

England then scored two goals in the space of three minutes as Crouch got his first and Owen joined the party.

Crouch tucked another Beckham free-kick past Ricketts in the 29th minute to send England 3-0 up and Owen then added another quickly when he got on to the end of Rio Ferdinand's long ball to race through the Jamaica defence and slot home.

England entered the break 4-0 up but did not ease up the pressure on resumption as they constantly pressed for another goal.

It came through a classic Liverpool connection when midfielder Jamie Carragher's cross found club mate Crouch who blasted from close range to beat the Jamaican custodian.

Crouch, already tipped to start at the World Cup, completed his hat-trick with a volley in the dying stages of the game.

It compensated for his missed penalty when he knocked the ball over the crossbar after Owen had been brought down by Khari Stephenson.

Jamaica, totally outplayed for most of the match, created very few chances with Southampton striker Ricardo Fuller and Sheffield Wednesday's Deon Burton coming close.

Charlton Athletic's Jason Euell also went close for Jamaica in the first half but his shot was parried away by custodian Paul Robinson.

Jamaica entered the game without top Watford striker Marlon King who left the camp on Wednesday in controversial circumstances after a dispute with management.

LINEUPS

England: Paul Robinson (David James, 46), Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole (Wayne Bridge, 36), Steven Gerrard (Stewart Downing, 77), Rio Ferdinand, John Terry (Sol Campbell, 33), David Beckham (Aaron Lennon, 67), Frank Lampard (Michael Carrick, 67), Peter Crouch, Michael Owen, Joe Cole.

Jamaica: Donovan Ricketts, Omar Daley, Damion Stewart, Claude Davis, Garfield Reid, Jason Euell (Khari Stephenson, 79), Jermaine Taylor (Shane Crawford, 46), Jamal Campbell-Ryce, Jermaine Hue (Jermaine Johnson, 85), Ricardo Fuller (Teofore Bennett, 76), Luton Shelton (Deon Burton, 48).