Broken ankle curtails Ashton's England dream

MANCHESTER, England, Aug 15 (Reuters) - West Ham United striker Dean Ashton broke his ankle training with England today to end his hopes of an international debut in tomorrow's friendly against Greece.

Ashton, 22, was set to start in the match, the first under new coach Steve McClaren, but his place will now go to Jermain Defoe in partnership with Peter Crouch.

Ashton moved to West Ham from second division Norwich City for 7.25 million pounds last January and proved an immediate hit. He scored six goals, including one in the FA Cup final defeat by Liverpool, and also proved an adept creator.

He missed out on the World Cup but was included in an England squad for the first time when McClaren called him up for the Greece match.

REUTERS DH VC1930