“Daws” is a right-hand batsman and slow left-arm orthodox bowler.
He was born in Swindon, Wiltshire but played for Hampshire’s junior sides and joined the staff in 2007. He made his limited overs debut v Northamptonshire at Northampton in August 2007, aged 17 years 6 months and his first-class debut v Yorkshire at Leeds in September 2007.
He has also played for, and eventually captained, England Under-19s in 2007-2009 taking 6-9 v Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in 2007 - the best analysis at the point of recording it by an England Under-19 bowler.
He scored his maiden First-Class century for Hampshire (100*) against Notts at Trent Bridge in September 2008 - the youngest player to score a first-class century for the club.
In 2010 he brought up his 1,000th First Class run for Hampshire and followed that up with centuries against Somerset and Warwickshire in front of home crowds at the start and end of the 2011 Championship season respectively.
Having established his credentials as a batsman, Dawson went to Zimbabwe before the 2012 season to work on his bowling while playing for the Mountaineers. He took seven wickets for just 51 runs on debut and that meant greater opportunities for the County the following Summer.
Dawson capitalised to full effect, taking his first five-wicket haul for Hampshire in supposedly non-spin-friendly conditions against Leicestershire at The Ageas Bowl in April. He then made National headlines when his left arm spin dismissed England and former Hampshire player Kevin Pietersen for not one but two first-ball ducks in respective Twenty20 and 40-over matches against Surrey at the Kia Oval and The Ageas Bowl.
Importantly, the Swindon-born all-rounder hasn't let his bating slip, scoring an unbeaten Championship 134 against Kent in the same season. He is now arguably Hampshire's most versatile player, able to bat anywhere in the top-to-middle order as well as bowl in all forms of the game.
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