LIAM Dawson needs no reminding of the unpredictable nature of professional cricket as he continues to savour his return to the international fold – just months after he was shipped out on loan by Hampshire.

After featuring in the England Lions’ 3-2 T20 series win over Pakistan A in Dubai last month, the 25-year-old, from Calne, flew out with the country’s second-tier side once again yesterday as they returned to the United Arab Emirates ahead of a five-match 50-over sequence against their Pakistani counterparts.

In 2009, Dawson captained the England U19s in a one-day series against South Africa but earlier this season, he would have considered an international call-up this winter a flight of fancy.

After struggling to make Hampshire’s County Championship team, the Wiltshire all-rounder was farmed out on loan to Division Two Essex at the beginning of July last year but he returned to the Ageas Bowl later that month and went on to help his team safeguard their Division One status and reach finals day in the T20 Blast.

“I think this all shows why sport is such an amazing thing,” said Dawson, who recorded a best-ever one-day batting average of 64.80 last season alongside a bowling average of 22.46.

“You’re always going to have highs and lows and at the start of the season, I’ll admit that I was having more downs than ups but there will always be moments when you’re experiencing the highs.

“I played in the T20 series and I think I did pretty well and I’m just concentrating on trying to do the same thing again in the 50-over games – that’s my aim.”

In October, Dawson earned a spot on the England Performance Programme squad after Surrey’s Zafar Ansari was ruled out with a broken thumb and never looked back.

His fellow Wiltshire cricketer and Hampshire teammate James Vince captains the Lions side and Dawson has already received high praise from former England coach Andy Flower for his performances this winter.

The Goatacre CC man added: “It’s been great to learn from people like Andy Flower, Graham Thorpe and Daniel Vettori and pick their brains.

“For me, that’s been the most interesting part of all of this and I’m looking forward to this series. Our warm-up game is on the 14th and our first match is on the 20th.”