Alastair Cook has kissed a few frogs in his search to find a new opening partner, but will now be hoping that either Haseeb Hameed or Ben Duckett turns out to be his prince.If all goes to plan, one of them will become his 10th opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss (at the end of the 2012 season) when the first Test against Bangladesh starts in Chittagong on October 20.They are far from like-for-like selections. While Hameed is a fairly classical looking player - he is no blocker, but he has a solid defence and pleasing armoury of conventional strokes - Duckett is a bold choice in the modern sense that he seems naturally inclined to attack and has every shot in the book, as well as several that are not. While he has scored his 1,338 Championship runs this season at a strike-rate of 79.45 - a rate that, not so long ago, was considered respectable in List A cricket - Hameed has scored his 1,154 at a strike-rate of 39.33. Hameed, however, has been opening in Division One, while Duckett has been opening in Division Two.Duckett will have the first opportunity to impress. He is expected to open in the ODI series that precedes the two Tests and it is possible that he will convince the management in those games that he has the character as well as the skills to win selection for the Test side. James Whitaker, the national selector, is clearly a huge admirer, referring to Duckett as a special player and a point-of-difference player. Not since the elevation of Joe Root as a debutant been spoken of in such terms.After the ODI series, the pair will go head to head in the red-ball warm-up games. With Cook absent on paternity leave, they will open in both the two-day warm-up games that precede the Tests, and though the captain is expected to return in time for the first Test, there has to be a possibility that Duckett and Hameed will open together; the first pair of debutant openers for England since 1937 when Jim Parks senior and Len Hutton did so against New Zealand at Lords.While it has been presumed that Hameed is in pole position to open - testament to his incredible ascent, really, given his age and lack of first-class experience - it may prove that Duckett is more Trevor Bayliss type of player. Bayliss has gone on the record previously as stating his preference for quick-scoring players and, while he has retracted that a little, he may be hesitant at positioning Cook and Hameed together at the top of the order. While Cook has certainly increased his scoring range and Hameed is not the out-right blocker some suggest, it is not impossible to envisage a scenario where progress becomes sluggish with the two of them together. Whether that should matter is another point entirely.Duckett, speaking shortly after his selection was announced, promised to continue to play his natural, positive game and suggested his aptitude against spin bowling might play to his advantage.I do play aggressively in first-class cricket and that has worked for me at the minute, he said. But there is plenty for me to learn in the Test game.Im still learning with the red ball stuff and havent nailed my game in that format just yet. To watch the likes of Cook out in Bangladesh it will be amazing for me to learn a few things.One thing I do have is my ability to play against spin. I think in Bangladesh they could bowl spin first-change so that is something Id be confident in facing and if I was given a chance then Ill try and be as positive as I can be and, fingers crossed, it pays off.I played hockey at school so the sweeps, reverse sweeps and quick hands might have come from that.The main thing about playing spin is that a spinner wants to bowl six balls in the same spot and you could just block it. But my main thing is about putting them under as much pressure as I can and whoever that guy is bowling at me, whether it is Shane Warne or whoever, I just have to put them under as much pressure as I can.If you can find ways of scoring then theyll be on the back foot straight away.Hameeds skills are, perhaps, not as obvious, but they are substantial nevertheless. Blessed with an apparently unflappable technique, he has made a huge impression at Lancashire in recent months. Not only is he their leading run-scorer in the Championship season - an astonishing achievement for a teenager - but he has become the youngest man to be capped by the club since World War Two. He has, as Whitaker put it, run-scoring in his DNA.We think hes got loads of technical qualities, Whitaker said. He has a really good, solid technique and a great temperament.Were excited. Im sure hell bring lots of quality to the team. Hes passed every test so far in his young life, and hes really hungry for success.He plays the ball late. Hes got good discipline and defence as well. But make no mistake, hes got the shots. Weve seen him take on some good-quality county bowling, with cuts and pulls. Hes got the shots in the locker; hes just very shrewd as to when he uses them.Whitaker also confirmed that a decision had been made to drop Hales from the Test squad before it became apparent that he was unwilling to tour Bangladesh. While he is likely to return for the ODI series in India - there has been no date set for when the India squads will be named, but it is expected to be a 16-man Test squad - he will not be considered for the Test series there.It seems the non-selection of Jack Leach, Somersets left-arm spinner, owed something to the experience of Simon Kerrigan in the Oval Test of 2013. While Kerrigan had played some A team (or Lions as it is now known) cricket before that Test, he was still something of an unknown quantity and perhaps hadnt spent enough time around the rest of the squad to feel completely comfortable.As a result, it is thought Kerrigan was not in the best position to do himself justice. He conceded 53 runs from eight first-innings overs and did not bowl again in the match. The experience seems to have scarred him and he has never quite recaptured the excellence of his bowling before it. The selectors are keen not to expose Leach to the same experience. It was noticeable that his county captain, Chris Rogers, said earlier this week he felt Leach emotionally still has a bit of a way to go before he was ready for the top level.The flaw in such an argument comes with the realisation that Hameed has not played any Lions cricket, either. Is the discipline of spin bowling so different mentally to that of opening the batting? Perhaps. Or maybe Hameed is simply a more phlegmatic character. Either way, expect Leach - and Ben Foakes, who was another to narrowly miss out on selection in the Test squad - to feature in performance squads named on Monday. Carolina Hurricanes Shirts . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. Hurricanes Jerseys 2020 . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. https://www.cheaphurricanes.com/ . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Wholesale Hurricanes Jerseys . Mickelson barely made the cut but had the best round of the day with nine birdies and an eagle coupled with two bogeys to sit two shots behind leader Craig Lee of Scotland. Lee shot a 69 for a 12-under 204 total. "I just love the fact I am in contention and have an opportunity in my first tournament of the year here in Abu Dhabi," Mickelson said. Carolina Hurricanes Pro Shop . It just didnt show when he hit the ice. Berra made 42 saves and Kris Russell scored at 1:32 of overtime, lifting the Calgary Flames to a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night. HAMDEN, Conn. -- Anthony Lamb scored 23 points and had eight rebounds while Payton Henson had 19 points to lead Vermont past Quinnipiac 94-70 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.Trae Bell-Haynes scored 16 points and eight assists and Ernie Duncan added 13 points for the Catamounts who shot 33-for-54 (61.1 percent) from the floor.Duncans 3 with 12:09 left before halftime gave Vermont an 11-10 lead it never surrendered. The Catamounts outscored the Bobcats 32-15 before intermission.Another Dunncan 3 early in the second half pushed the lead to 50-28.dddddddddddd Lamb, Henson, Bell-Haynes, and Duncan combined to shoot 25-for-38 from the floor with Henson converting all eight of his free throws.Reggie Oliver led Quinnipiac with 15 points and Chaise Daniels added 11.With the win, Vermont improved to 8-3 against Quinnipiac in a series dating back to the 1942-43 season. ' ' '