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They have kissed some frogs along the way, but it looks as if England may have found their prince.It wasnt just Haseeb Hameeds runs that impressed. And it wasnt just the uncomplicated technique. It was, most of all, the composure of a 19-year-old dealing with the pressure of playing his first Test against the No. 1 rated side in their own country. If he had any nerves, he didnt show them.The basic facts are these: Hameed has become the first England opener to make a half-century on debut since Alastair Cook in 2006. He has become the third youngest man (after Jack Crawford and Denis Compton) to make a half-century in Test cricket for England (and the second youngest opener, after Crawford) and, if he makes 38 more runs on the final day, he will be the first England opener to make a century on debut since Cook and the youngest England Test centurion of all time.While the scorecard hardly suggests it, his runs were made under some pressure. With England starting their second innings just 49 runs ahead of India and the pitch starting to show signs of modest deterioration, any early wickets could have resulted in a serious case of jitters in the England dressing room. Offering a little more turn and a little more uneven bounce, this is no longer the genial-natured pitch on which five men have recorded centuries this match. These were not soft runs.So while Cook (who is said by the England camp to be in robust good health despite a couple of spells off the field, an uncharacteristic drop at slip and another scratchy display with the bat) prodded and poked as if batting on the most treacherous of surfaces, Hameed was able to drive boundaries through the covers off front and back foot, late cut anything even slightly short and, when Ravi Jadeja gave the ball just a little flight, skip down the pitch and drive him over long-off for six.His footwork was crisp and unhurried. His judgment over which balls to leave and which he could nudge off his legs was astute. He already uses the crease against the spinners better than all but one member of the England team. He could not be bullied by the seamers or befuddled by the spinners. This has been Englands most assured debut since Joe Root.But for a twist of fate, Hameed could have ended up playing for India. His father, Ismail, who looked understandably emotional in the stands as his son reached his half-century with a delicious late cut for four off the worlds No.1 rated Test bowler, tells a tale of the invitations extended their way after one of Haseebs trips back to the land of his parents to work on his game on turning tracks.Would he be interested in playing club cricket in Mumbai? Might he like to think of the Mumbai side in the Ranji Trophy as his target? Might he think of joining his heroes, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, as an Indian player?It was never going to happen. By then, Haseeb was impressing in the Lancashire age-group teams. Their Academy Director, John Stanworth, a man not prone to hyperbole, told All Out Cricket that Hameed was probably as good a player as weve had for a generation two years before he graduated to the Championship side, and made comparisons with Mike Atherton and John Crawley. He captained England U-17 and U-19 and although there have been setbacks - he was especially stung to be left out of the England team for the U-19 World Cup - he has long carried great expectations.The records followed. He became the youngest Lancashire player to make 1,000 runs in a Championship season, the first Lancashire player to make centuries in both innings of a Roses match (Tim Bresnan told him he had played a seriously special knock after the second innings century) and, despite it all, possessed a demeanour busting with a desire to learn but graced by humility. Even if Haseeb Hameed was hopeless at cricket, his parents would have reason to be immensely proud of him.His first memories are of cricket: batting with a mini bat and punching his fathers friendly lobs in the living-room of their Bolton home. Later Ismail resolved to teach his son the defensive technique of Geoff Boycott which, whatever the changes in the modern game, remains a decent foundation. He hasnt played a first team game of white ball cricket for Lancashire yet, but theres no reason why he cannot make a success of that. Hes not a blocker with a limited game; hes a class act with an array of elegant strokes and the sense to play within himself. He looks as if he was born to bat.There are still questions to answer, of course. Most of all, there was talk on the county circuit of the day he was worked over by a sharp Surrey attack containing Stuart Meaker and Mark Footitt. You can be quite sure that Australia, in particular, will explore any potential vulnerability against the short ball.The signs in this match are promising, though. While others have paid the price for taking their eye off the ball in this game and taken short balls on the head or upper body, Hameed reacted to the first ball of his Test career - a well-directed short-ball from Mohammed Shami - with a composure you suspect is going to become mightily familiar. He kept his eye on the ball and dropped his hands expertly. There havent been any obvious chinks in the armour.Other England openers have enjoyed good days, of course, only to be discarded a short while later. Sam Robson and Adam Lyth both made centuries in their second Tests and Nick Compton made two in New Zealand. But have any of them - and Hameed is Cooks 10th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss in 2012 - looked this assured and unflappable? Have any of them looked to have such a well-rounded game?Ben Duckett made a half-century as opener in the previous match, but it always seemed a little frenetic and little as if it was a punt that was coming off. Hameed offered something approaching certainty. His journey is just beginning and there will, no doubt, be some stony terrain on the way. But if you could buy shares in people, you would put your shirt on Haseeb Hameed.Hameeds runs have helped put England in an almost impregnable position. While there will be talk of a declaration sometime in mid-afternoon - you cannot give a side containing the best limited-overs chaser in history a hint of a chance in a run-chase - there might also be a thought to keep India in the field for another full day. With only three days between Tests, those extra overs could be telling in Visakhapatnam. Besides, any psychological edge India thought they had before this game could be further eroded. It was a tactic that served England well in Brisbane in 2010.The counter argument suggests that opportunities to win may be few and far between in this series and that England, with a slim chance, should do all they can to take it. In the end, it may depend on how much the pitch has deteriorated by lunch. It is breaking up, certainly, but whether it is doing it fast enough to force a result is doubtful.Hameed need not worry about that. He just needs to bat. And, for the first time in several years, England may well not need to worry about finding a new opening partner for Cook. Its premature to reach conclusions, of course, but it really does seem as if the search is over. New Balance Outlet Canada . Pirlo limped out of Sundays 1-0 win over Udinese after just 13 minutes. Juventus says Pirlo underwent tests on Monday which revealed he has "a second-degree lesion to the collateral medial ligament in his right knee. New Balance Shoes Canada . Now tied for second in the league in shootout goals, the 24-year-old likes to see what the opposing goaltender has in store before he ultimately lands on a move. http://www.newbalancecanadaoutlet.com/ . The news was first reported on Gonzalezs Twitter account and confirmed by the Rockies. Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona. New Balance Online Sale Canada . The (11-11-4) Jets are seventh in the Central Division with 26 points. Fifth place Dallas and sixth-seeded Nashville also have 26 points, but the Stars have three games in hand on Winnipeg while Nashville has two. Cheap New Balance Shoes Canada . Perez, 35, posted a 1-2 record with a 3.69 earned-run average in 19 relief appearances last season. His season ended Aug. 9 due to a torn ligament in his left elbow. Perez joins infielder Andy LaRoche and catcher Mike Nickeas with minor-league agreements for 2014 that include invitations to attend spring training. Throughout the Tour de France, Australian professional cyclist Richie Porte will be checking in. Here is his latest entry, as told to ESPN contributor Rupert Guinness:Rest day: Berne, SwitzerlandIt was a day where riding your bike cannot get better: Tuesdays second rest day of the Tour de France. We know that from Wednesday on, the days will immediately return to being a punish with the next four stages being in the Alps. So Tuesday was one to appreciate.And that I did, from the moment I got up at 7.30am to when I turned the lights out at night. After breakfast, I went on my rest day ride with my French teammate Ama?l Moinard.We just rolled easy for 47km by the shores of Lake Thun -- what a beautiful lake it is too. When you are racing flat out, especially in the Tour, you dont really get to take in the surroundings, even thought they are often some of Europes most picturesque regions.Today, Tuesday, was one of the rare occasions where you can, while also riding our bikes. For Ama?l and I it was also a nice opportunity to catch up with some quiet and relaxed chat away from the bells and whistles -- and the ever present madness -- of the Tour de France.We spoke about the next four days in the Alps: how we see them unfold, who is looking good and all the difference scenarios of which there are many before Sundays finish.We also chatted about our plans for after the Tour. We have vastly different plans too. I will be heading to Rio for the Olympic Games, whereas Ama?l will be returning home to Saint Laurent du Var near Nice and some family time his wife, Morgane, andd children live.ddddddddddddBut with four successive days in the Alps of the Tour in mind, we didnt forget the job at hand. We still have to focus on the job that awaits this week, and recovery for that was vital.We got back from our ride at about 11.30, in time to see the osteopath, have lunch, then a massage, a nap and then the rest of the day with my wife Gemma who arrived on Monday. It all sounds like a slow day, but trust me, it goes by too quickly -- as most good things do.And as I said, it will all seem like a distant memory when we resume racing on Wednesday with the first Alpine stage -- all of it in Switzerland -- from Berne to Finhaut-Emosson. Our minds will have already switched back to race mode by breakfast. We all realise the value of every opportunity between now and the end of the last Alpine stage on Saturday.Are there any vulnerabilities in Sky and Chris Froome who still leads the Tour overall? Of course there are. They exist in the however many hundred kilometres there are to go in the Tour. Unforseen thing can happen. The Tour is not over. I certainly dont see it that way.I dont expect any of the other top contenders see it that way either -- from Froome down. We have all seen -- or experienced -- how the tide can turn for or against you in a grand tour.To be complacent, which I am sure Froome wont be despite his strong position, is to commit a massive error; just as to surrender because of the odds are against you. ' ' '