First-class career
Dawson's first team debut for Gloucestershire came in a Sunday League match against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in May 1992. The following month he made his first-class debut against Lancashire at Old Trafford. [5] Initially,Dawson was a regular feature in the Gloucestershire team. Primarily a batsman,in his first couple of seasons with the county he struggled with his batting form,averaging 11.00 and 21.87 in the 1992 and 1993 seasons respectively,although in the 1992 season he did record his maiden half century. [6] The 1994 season was to prove to be Dawson's most productive in first-class cricket,making 16 first-class appearances and scoring 1,112 runs (the only time in his first-class career he would pass 1,000 runs in a season) at a batting average of 42.76. Indeed,with this season it seemed that Dawson's potential was beginning to be fulfilled as he cracked a maiden century,scoring 127* against Cambridge University [7] and scoring seven half centuries. [6]
The coming seasons were to see a reversal of his 1994 form as Dawson struggled for consistency. In 1995 he averaged 23.66 from 9 first-class matches,the following season just 11.75 from 7 matches. In 1997 and 1998,he played 8 matches in each season,averaging 23.50 and 13.61 respectively. [6] By the time of his final season with Gloucestershire,Dawson was playing mostly in the Second XI, [4] playing just a single first-class match in that final season against Middlesex in the County Championship. [5] Dawson represented Gloucestershire in 64 first-class matches,scoring 2,598 runs at an average of 25.50,which perhaps highlighted his inconsistency with the bat. In the process he scored three centuries and twelve half centuries. An able fielder,he took 31 catches. [6]
Dawson was perhaps seen as more of one-day player,representing Gloucestershire in 116 List A matches between 1992 and 1993. [8] Dawson's struggles with consistency were also present in the one-day game,labelling some to question his mental strength to play at the highest domestic level. [9] Dawson's batting average in one-day cricket fluctuated between the mid-teens to the high-twenties;his average only went above 30 for a season in 1998 when he scored 677 runs at an average of 37.61,with a high score of 75. [10] In his 116 one-day matches for the county,he scored 2,300 runs at an average of 23.71,with nine half centuries and a high score of 85. [8] Dawson's contract was not renewed by Gloucestershire for the 2000 season and he was released by the county,after making 180 appearances in total between 1992 and 1999.
