Honourable mentions must also go to Pakistan's Shadab Khan (4-26) against Australia, Liam Livingstone's inspired 2-22 against New Zealand, and Namibia seamer Ruben Trumpelmann, who took three wickets in the first four balls of the game to stifle Scotland. Many will argue, and indeed have, that Stokes could do fellow left-hander Malan's job at No 3 and more besides, and he would surely not have slipped down the order against West Indies in game one in the way Malan did as England looked to chase down their measly target of 56 in quickfire time. The Norwegian left the club with United sat eighth in the Premier League table and 12 points adrift from league leaders Chelsea. It is not quite the start many fans were expecting after a runners-up finish last term preceded a stellar summer transfer window. Those back-over travails could be remedied in Australia next year by the returns of Archer and Mills, who are not only two of England's finest performers at the death but also the game's. If they had been available in Abu Dhabi, things may have turned out very differently.