Yes, there was an alternative - Robert Key. He might not be a pretty face but that shouldn't preclude it from fitting with the powers-that-be.
Michael Vaughan's resignation came as no surprise to me. It's been on the cards for quite a while due to the fact that he's not scored enough runs. Now that the burden of captaincy has been removed, Michael wants to get back to being the class batsman that he is.
Five years in the job has been a fair old crack and I feel he's made the right move.
One felt for Michael watching his tearful explanation on television and this vividly reminded me of my boyhood seeing Kim Hughes quit as Australia's captain in a flood of tears when England won the 1981 Ashes series. His emotions as he talked about his family illustrated how deeply Michael has been affected by the issue.
I doubt Michael would have chosen to stay on even if England had avoided defeat against South Africa and gone to The Oval still with a chance of squaring the series. Michael is unselfish enough to know that you can carry a player only so long.
Provided Michael can get back his form of five years ago, there's always a chance of him being recalled as a batsman.
Kent skipper Key would have got my vote for three reasons - he's the best captain on the county circuit; he's scored a

double hundred in 15 Tests and done the business in one-dayers; and he's English, which is a bonus.
Just because bodily he doesn't look the part means he shouldn't be part of the set-up. Take Darren Lehmann as an example. He was similarly proportioned yet was a top-class performer who would have played many more than 27 Tests had he not been Australian.
Andrew Strauss's name had been mentioned but he didn't figure at all with me. England wanted someone to lead in both forms of the game and one-day cricket doesn't sit comfortably with the Middlesex man.
Shake-up
Anyone who's scoring runs or taking wickets should be considered to play for England, where something of a shake-up is called for.
Key is recognised as fine a captain as Vaughan but South-African born Pietersen is an entirely unknown quantity in this respect and England are taking a massive gamble.
Also, why run the risk of the best batsman losing his form due to the extra pressure.
Gambling with Andrew Flintoff in Australia misfired badly, but tackling the Aussies in their own country at the peak of their powers is somewhat different to the immediate challenge facing Pietersen.
I feel that quietly Pietersen wanted the job permanently having got a taste of it in one of the summer's one-dayers against New Zealand. This winter India will be tough but I believe we'll win in the West Indies, consequently we'll know more about Pietersen's captaincy capabilities in six months.