In-form Bent remains hopeful of booking a ticket to South Africa

DARREN BENT has eight Premier League games left to persuade England boss Fabio Capello he is worth a seat on the plane to the World Cup finals.

The 26-year-old Sunderland striker took his tally for the season in all competitions to 21 with a double against Birmingham.

Only Wayne Rooney, with 26, and Didier Drogba on 22 have scored more, and fellow England strikers Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Emile Heskey are all behind him.