Showing the strain: Fabio Capello reacts after seeing his side go 2-0 down at Wembley

Capello’s decision to inform Crouch that he would not be involved against the Swiss is strange given his international scoring record. Crouch’s average strike-rate of a goal every other game places him joint-16th on the all-time England scorers’ list alongside the legendary Tommy Lawton.

Zamora, 30, had won only one England cap before in a friendly against Hungary, and missed five months of last season through injury. He is two weeks older than Crouch.

Adding to Crouch’s hurt is that Wayne Rooney, who decided to play golf in the West Indies rather than support his team-mates at Wembley, and Jermain Defoe, who withdrew with injury despite playing until the end of the season at Tottenham, can both be expected to walk into England’s next squad against Holland in August, and the Euro 2012 qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia the following month.

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