ENGLAND'S selectors have missed a golden opportunity to make the ultimate team change and end Michael Vaughan's reign as Test captain, according to two Australian cricketing legends.

Former skipper Mark Taylor and Geoff Lawson believe Paul Collingwood should be handed the job of replacing Vaughan, with the Durham star more than capable of combining the oneday and Test roles.

Taylor is an admirer of Collingwood's never-say-die attitude, saying: "Paul Collingwood is a very solid international cricketer.

"He's not the most stylish player in the world but he knows how to make runs.

"He's got a level head on his shoulders and it seems to me that he could step in as Test captain to go with his one-day captaincy.

"He's improved England's oneday side and with his handy bowling he is very good cricketer to have coming into the middle order at number five or six."

Pakistan coach Lawson, who took 180 wickets at a respectable 30.56 average in 46 Tests from 1980-1989, also jumped on Collingwood's Test captaincy bandwagon.

"I think it was probably the way to go for England to replace Vaughan by giving the captaincy to Collingwood or Pietersen,"

said Lawson.

"If they had dropped Vaughan altogether it would have given other teams the incentive to get rid of their dead wood-players who have passed their sell-by date in world cricket.

"I think there are quite a few players who are past their best around the world."

Retired Australian skipper Ian Chappell said Collingwood deserves praise for instilling his fighting qualities into England's one-day outfit.

"The most important job for a captain is to improve his team and Collingwood has done that,"

said Chappell.