BATTING legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul is backing Haseeb Hameed to come through his struggle for form in first-class cricket.

Bolton opener Hameed has so far failed to hit the heights of last year in a Lancashire shirt, including a duck last week in the Roses Championship draw against Yorkshire at Emirates Old Trafford.

The 20-year-old has scored 99 runs in four matches – six innings – in the Specsavers County Championship and is yet to post a 50.

When the ex-Bolton League right-hander scored two fifties in three Test Matches for England against India last November, the hype around him had reached fever pitch.

He was expected to be Alastair Cook’s regular opening partner for years to come.

But, since then, things have not quite gone his way, despite two encouraging fifties in his first eight Royal London one-day Cup outings in recent weeks.

Having recovered from the broken finger he suffered in India, his pre-season with Lancashire was then disrupted following a sinus operation.

And now, with a lack of runs, there is question mark over whether Hameed will open the batting for England against South Africa in July, especially with rival Keaton Jennings in excellent form for Durham.

However, his Lancashire team-mate Chanderpaul is refusing to panic and expects him to bounce back strongly.

“As a cricketer you always go up and down,” said the veteran West Indian, who has spoken with Hameed about his game.

“Sometimes you fail more than you succeed.

“I had a couple of bad tours with the West indies, and that's the way it goes. It goes up, it goes down.

“Whenever the opportunity comes you always try to help the other guys. It is much easier when you bat with them, you see what is happening better and see any little area you can help them with.

“I haven't done any work with Haseeb, but we have spoken a few times. We talk all the time.

“It is just one of those things. He just needs to start his innings, and once he does that he will be fine.

“It is still early in the season. He looked good in the one-day format, and he just needs to get his game going again in the red ball game.

“He is still young, but he is doing well.”

Chanderpaul scored the 75th first-class hundred of his career against Yorkshire last week.

The left-hander, signed on a one-year Kolpak deal for this season, turns 43 in August.

But he shows no signs of slowing up, and he has revealed he is open to extending his stay with the Red Rose.

“It depends on how well I go this year,” added the Guyana-born player. “If things go well, maybe next year is possible.

“I never set a target. I take it as I see it because you never know what's going to happen. I prepare myself, I do the work in the nets, and when you get out there hopefully things will go your way.”