Sir Geoff Hurst believes Peter Crouch to be the best partner for Wayne Rooney at the World Cup.

Crouch scored twice in England's 3-1 win against Egypt at Wembley in midweek to take his tally to 20 goals in 37 matches for his country.

Hurst, who famously scored the only hat-trick in a World Cup final when England lifted the trophy in 1966, amassed 24 goals in 49 internationals and he insists Crouch is now ready to be promoted from his role as a substitute.

The 68-year-old, who believes England can get to the semi-finals, said: "He (Crouch) is emerging as the best partner because he can do what Emile Heskey does but very importantly he scores a lot more goals than Emile has done for England.

"You need as a front player to score one in two over your career and Peter's England record now is getting very close to mine. He'll be pushing me down the 'Goals for England' league table."

Hurst believes England manager Fabio Capello might even employ a Plan B with Rooney playing up front as a lone striker, as he has done at Manchester United this season, with Steven Gerrard supporting him.

But he pinpoints the defence, with full-backs Ashley Cole and Glen Johnson struggling for fitness and Rio Ferdinand's back problem, as the biggest concern.

"It is a worry," he told BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek. "We need a fairly settled back four as soon as we possibly can. When one or two key players get injured in certain areas we do look a little bit thin on the ground."

Hurst, who admitted he was "disappointed" with Wayne Bridge's decision to quit England, has been impressed with the way Capello has organised his squad and compared him in temperament to World Cup winning manager Sir Alf Ramsey.

Hurst was a guest of the England team in Germany last year and witnessed the discipline instilled in the squad. He also applauded Capello's decisiveness in stripping John Terry of the captaincy after revelations into his private life.

He said: "He (Capello) has made a fantastic difference. We are starting to see a team and a group of people who are as well prepared as they possibly can be and that's all we really can hope for as a national side.

"Fabio's decision quickly to remove John Terry of the captaincy but still keep him in the team was just about right. Those who wanted John Terry to be scrapped completely from the England side probably were overreacting a bit.

"We've got to keep this in perspective. If we removed everybody in seniority that committed adultery we probably wouldn't have anybody running the country."

Hurst believes the squad has improved measurably from the days of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Steve McClaren.

He said: "We can beat anybody on a one-game basis but winning a World Cup is about winning six or seven games. It's keeping everybody fit and having fair wind.

"If somebody said to me where do you think we will get to I would say the semi-finals because I think we are a tiny bit short up front.

"If maybe we had a (Fernando) Torres up front along with Rooney then you're looking at a different proposition. That's the sort of quality Spain have."

He added, with an eye on his own place in history: "I hope we win the World Cup and I hope Wayne Rooney gets two."