Owen handed captain's role for England B

Michael Owen will captain the England B team to face Belarus in Reading on Thursday.

Owen will partner Peter Crouch in attack while Arsenal pair Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell start in defence as they continue their return from injury.

Owen Hargreaves will play at right-back to allow coach Sven-Goran Eriksson to look closely at Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas in the centre of midfield.

Aaron Lennon and Stewart Downing start on the wings with David James getting the nod ahead of Robert Green in goal.

Jamie Carragher will partner Campbell in the centre of defence.

Eriksson has named nine subs, including 17-year-old Theo Walcott, but can only use six of them.

Stand-by keeper Scott Carson is fit to take his place on the bench after missing two days training this week with a stomach upset.

Eriksson trained with a full complement of 28 players at the England base in Hertfordshire today.

England B team to face Belarus at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow:

James (Man City), Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), A Cole (Arsenal), Carrick (Tottenham), Carragher (Liverpool), Campbell (Arsenal), Lennon (Tottenham), Jenas (Tottenham), Crouch (Liverpool), Owen (Newcastle), Downing (Middlesbrough).

Substitutes: Bridge (Chelsea), Green (Norwich), P Neville (Everton), Dawson (Tottenham), J Cole (Chelsea), Defoe (Tottenham), Johnson (Crystal Palace), Walcott (Arsenal), Carson (Liverpool).