England defender Djed Spence said he will have to play while wearing a ​protective mask at the World Cup after ‌suffering a broken jaw in a Premier League match last month.

A roundly criticised pitch played to its crass nature right to the very end of England's 115-run win in the first Test against New Zealand. Outrageous lateral movement combined with unpredictable bounce - Jacob Bethell's second-innings dismissal almost burrowing underground - offered peril at every axis for the batters.

Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo featured from the start in England’s 1–0 win over New Zealand on Saturday, getting exactly 45 minutes to impress in the Three Lions’s first of two pre-World Cup friendlies.

Bayern Munich star Harry Kane believes he will be a strong contender for the Ballon d'Or if he leads England to World Cup glory.