Rooney spotted kicking ball sparks betting spree

CARRINGTON, England, Jun 2: England's injured striker Wayne Rooney kicked a ball at the side's training ground today sparking a betting spree on his fitness for the World Cup.

Reporters spotted the Manchester United forward, who broke his toe against Chelsea at the end of April, running and kicking the ball on a different part of the ground from the rest of his England team mates. United have lent England the ground for pre-Cup practice.

Rooney is scheduled to have a scan on his foot on June 7, three days before England open their World Cup campain against Paraguay, to see whether he has a chance of playing any part in the tournament in Germany.

''News that Wayne Rooney is running and kicking a ball in training has sparked a punting plunge on him to play a part in the World Cup,'' bookmaker William Hill said in a news release today, adding odds about him playing had been cut from 6/4 to 8/11.

''Our clients are following up stories that Wayne is already kicking a ball in training and that he told Prince William he expects to be fit to play,'' William Hill's spokesman Graham Sharpe was quoted as saying.

REUTERS