Gareth Barry and Jermain Defoe put England in control of their friendly international against Trinidad & Tobago in Port of Spain, both scoring inside the first 16 minutes.

Barry, the Aston Villa midfielder coveted by Liverpool, volleyed home from eight yards after Stewart Downing and Wayne Bridge had combined down the left, with the Chelsea full back delivering the decisive cross on 12 minutes.

Four minutes later Defoe profited as the Trinidad defence was caught out of position and although the Portsmouth striker's left-foot shot was not hit cleanly it found the far corner of the net.

England made wholesale changes at the interval and one of the substitutes, David Bentley, created the third four minutes into the second half. A cross from the unsettled Blackburn Rovers winger was not cleared and Defoe had the easiest of tasks to sidefoot home his second.

Team news: Dean Ashton starts alongside Jermain Defoe for England. The West Ham United striker makes his first appearance just short of two years since he was on the verge of his England debut only to suffer a serious ankle injury in training.

David Beckham captains the side, and even though there were suggestions that the former England midfielder, still tremendously popular in the Caribbean, had only been handed the armband to boost England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup, these have been strenuously denied by Fabio Capello, the manager.

Jonathan Woodgate makes his first appearance in 15 months alongside Rio Ferdinand in central defence. Steven Gerrard and Gareth Barry have been paired in central midfield - perhaps a preview of the Liverpool engine room next season - with Stewart Downing on the left.

England: David James (Portsmouth, age 37, caps 38); Glen Johnson (Portsmouth, 23, 7), Rio Ferdinand (Man Utd, 29, 67), Jonathan Woodgate (Tottenham, 28, 6), Wayne Bridge (Chelsea, 27, 28); David Beckham (capt, LA Galaxy, 33, 101), Gareth Barry (A Villa, 27, 19); Steven Gerrard (Liverpool, 28, 66), Stewart Downing (Middlesbrough, 23, 17); Jermain Defoe (Portsmouth, 25, 27), Dean Ashton (West Ham, 24, 0).

Trinidad & Tobago: Ince, Cupid, Lawrence, Hislop, Farrier, Carlos Edwards, Hyland, Whitley, Daniel, John, Jones. Subs:Phillip, Roberts, Telesford, Smith, Adams, Guerra, Tinto, Yorke.