Hameed determined to bounce back after

CHRIS OSTICK HASEEB Hameed should be preparing to play his first Test match at his home ground.

Instead, the Lancashire opener is left contemplating a poor start to the season with the Red Rose, and what he needs to do to get back in the runs. The 20-year-old was expected to be a mainstay of the England side for years to come after impressively announcing himself on the Test stage in India last winter.

But a poor start to the summer – which has seen him score just 214 runs in 12 innings with a top score of 47 – has seen him dropped from the Test picture and out of the squad for the fourth Test against South Africa which starts at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday.

Not part of Lancashire’s NatWest T20 Blast side, Hameed hasn’t played first-team cricket since the match at Warwickshire at the end of June.

Instead, he has been playing for Formby in the Liverpool Competition and for Lancashire seconds.

But he scored a century against an MCC side two weeks ago, and is now hoping that can kick-start his season, which will resume when Lancashire return to the Specsavers County Championship with a clash at Hampshire starting on Sunday.

“It’s been quite a difficult season for me so far,” said Hameed.

“But I’ve had these three to four weeks away from first-team cricket, and I’m quite keen to put the first half of the season to one side now.

“It’s a season of two halves.

“What’s happened has happened, and it’s important to look forward now. We’ve had a couple of second-team fixtures against Warwickshire and the MCC Young Cricketers, and I’ve also played for Formby.