Javed Miandad? One of the best players to ever play limited overs cricket! We do not have him in our team, and suggesting that Bell (or my major objection - Cook) can get anywhere near to his prowess is typical Pringle nonsense.

England may not have historically attacked the first twenty overs. This is why I am saying (along with many other journalists whose opinions you often quote as factual evidence Rachael) we are playing in the past and why we probably haven't got anywhere in the world cup for over 15 years. Pringle, himself in the quote you mention, says that Cook and Bell mustn't bat in the top 3. My sentiments exactly.

As good as Vaughan is in the Test arena, I don't think he's the answer in the ODIs, where he's struggled to maintain a good average and strike rate, and also to pick the gaps in the field. I think Trescothick coming back would be the absolute best-case scenario, but failing that, then I think a good alternative would be Andrew Strauss. Strauss on form is much more consistent than Mustard, and his strike rate is 75- healthy by anyone's standards, and much better than Cook's, Vaughan's, or Bell's. In fact, I can't think of any opener in England's ODI history who's scored as much and as fast, except for Trescothick.

Honesty compells me to admit that I don't know exactly what his SR is as an opener (his average in that position is 33.9), but nevertheless I think it's worth a shot.