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Michael Vaughan has backed the way England have handled situations involving Alex Hales and Jofra Archer ahead of the World Cup.

Hales was removed from England's World Cup squad after it was last week reported that he was serving a 21-day ban for taking recreational drugs.

(Image: Getty)

Speaking to Bristol Live at a promotional event for the World Cup in Broadmead, Vaughan said that, whilst he does not agree with the protocol to deal with players taking drugs, he feels the ECB have handled the situation well.

He said: "I think they've dealt with it as well as they can.

"It's never easy as management to deal with something like that.

"The protocol that is in place for the drugs system, I don't agree with, I have to say, but I think they'll probably look at that at the end of the summer and maybe change the protocol of the way that players get tested and these strikes.

"First strike, second strike, third strike? For me, if you take drugs, you take drugs, you should be exposed the first time you get caught.

"I'm not saying you should be banned the first time you get caught but you should be exposed - you're a professional sportsperson, you sign a contract that says it's illegal.

"You're a professional sportsperson, you shouldn't even be thinking about going anywhere near those sorts of things.

"I think England have dealt with the situation as well as they can, the fact it's happened now, not in three weeks' time, I think it allows five games against Pakistan to just get some cricket into everyone's system and I'm pretty sure in a week or two's time, no one will even be mentioning Alex Hales."

Hales' removal creates space in the squad for a new player and, with Jofra Archer having been included in the 17-man squad for the upcoming ODI series against Pakistan but not the 15-man squad for the World Cup, there has been some speculation that the Barbados-born fast bowler, who only recently qualified to play for England.

(Image: Getty)

Whilst Vaughan is expecting Archer to be in the squad, he does not expect it to be in Hales' place.

He said: "Jofra won't replace Alex Hales, he'll be in for someone.

"Someone over the next few weeks will be disappointed but you can also say that someone in the next few weeks won't be playing well enough to be in the 15, and that's the nature of international sport.

"You can only pick 15 and they'll pick the best 15 players to make sure England try and win the World Cup, you can't look at sentiment or emotions, you've just got to pick who you feel are the best 15 to win the World Cup.

"I've absolutely no doubt that Jofra Archer will be one of those 15 names."

The legendary former England captain says Archer has the quality required to win England matches on his own.

He said: "I've watched him for years, he's quality.

"Whether you agree or disagree with the way the qualification period has been quickened to allow him to play, that's by the by, he's available to play for England and he'll certainly win England games of cricket.

"He'll win England moments of a 50-over contest that you have to win if you're going to compete in a World Cup.

"He's a really good addition to the team."

There has been some discussion over the fact Archer has only recently qualified to play for England, yet will be included in the squad over a longer-serving player, but Vaughan sees no issue with this.

He said: "You've always got to be careful when you bring in any player, particularly someone who's been quickened up to get into the team.

"You have to look at every angle but the management are so good, Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss and the senior core of the team are so good at managing people that I never had any doubt that he was going to fit into the group."

Vaughan was with the World Cup trophy and former Pakistan captain Azhar Ali in Bristol today ahead of the tournament, which starts at the end of May, and he says it is an exciting time.

He said: "It's going to be great. The excitement levels are just starting to build with everyone talking about squads - who's going to be in, who's going to be out?

"Clearly we've got a huge excitement here for two reasons, because it's in the UK and we have a realistic chance of doing something special.

"I'm looking forward to it."

It could prove to be a massive summer for the sport in the UK, with the Ashes following hot on the heels of the World Cup, and Vaughan, who famously lead England to an Ashes victory in 2005, feels there is no better opportunity for this current batch of players to write themselves into cricketing folklore.

He said: "It's a very lucky summer for the players because I can't imagine it will ever happen again in our life time - you get a World Cup that you've got a fantastic chance of winning, the tournament is geared towards the better teams with it being a 10-team tournament playing each other once.

"In this system I don't think you can have unfortunate to not make the semi-finals - I think in the past, the way they scheduled the tournament, you could have one bad game which was impacted by the weather or you're on the wrong end of conditions and you get knocked out, whereas this system is geared towards the better teams.

"With the Ashes as well, I say to the players to make the most of the summer because you'll never get a better chance to put yourself into the cricketing legends for many years by doing something special this summer."