James Anderson believes England's rising star Haseeb Hameed has an even better opener's technique than national-record Test runscorer Alastair Cook.

Anderson was relishing the prospect of bowling to Cook - "I just feel like I'm going to get him out" - until a sore hip ruled the former Test captain out of opening the batting against Lancashire at Chelmsford on Friday when the new Specsavers County Championship season gets under way.

England's all-time leading wicket-taker will therefore have to content himself with trying to follow up his figures of 11-5-10-5 in Lancashire's 340-run victory over Cambridge University - and watching Hameed again demonstrate the potential, at the top of the Red Rose order, which was so evident in three Tests in India before a badly-broken finger intervened last December.

Hameed had another injury scare in that warm-up match at Fenner's, and briefly feared he might have broken the same little finger again while fielding.

After scans, the 20-year-old is expected to be fit to start Lancashire's Division One campaign - and Anderson for one does not expect it to be long before he is racking up the runs to press his claims for an immediate return alongside Cook when England next play Test cricket against South Africa at Lord's in July.

He is prepared to suggest, in fact, that Hameed is better equipped even than Cook to be a long-term Test success.

"His ability and his talent is frightening for such a young lad, so I think he'll cope with anything," said Anderson.

"He's right up there (with potentially England's best).

"I know Cookie is the leading runscorer - but I'd say he is a better, more technically sound opening batsman than Cook.

"I don't want to talk him up too much - he's bound to have the worst year of his life if I do! But yes, I think he's just a very exciting talent."

As for next winter's Ashes, again Anderson expects Hameed to be very much up to the challenge - however Australia try to discomfit him.

"I'm sure they will throw everything they've got at him - certainly with pace, short balls, aggression, verbals - I'm sure they'll go at him," he added.

"They usually pick on the young guys - but with his calm nature, I think he'll be able to handle it."

There is one Australian opponent, however, who is already giving Anderson a few more greys.

As with Cook, whom he has dismissed in each of just three matches he has played against him over the years, he feels like he can get prolific captain Steve Smith out.

The only snag is that it rarely seems to turn out that way.

"He's really tricky to bowl to, because he's so unorthodox," said Anderson.

"You think you've got a chance with him all the time, but he's a really talented batsman. He's turned himself into a brilliant batsman - and he's a key player for them, being captain as well.

"You think you can get him out (all sorts of ways) - you think you can york him leg-stump, because he walks that far across. But he manages to get bat on it.

"It is going to be difficult for us - (but) I think, now we've seen how he bats, over the next few months we can come up with some plans for him."

:: James Anderson was speaking on behalf of BRUT Sport Style, the new fragrance from men's grooming brand BRUT.