LIAM Dawson insists that his focus this week has been on Hampshire’s crucial final Specsavers County Championship Division One match with Durham despite being named in England’s one-day squad to tour Bangladesh next month.

The 26-year-old, who made his England T20 and ODI debuts this summer, will head out to the sub-continent next week, but with Hampshire fighting to maintain their Division One status that has been dominating his mind.

A win for Dawson and his Hampshire colleagues should be enough to secure their top-flight place as fourth-from-bottom Lancashire battle it out with third-from-bottom Warwickshire in their final match of the season.

“I haven’t really had too much time to think about the call-up to be honest,” Dawson told the Gazette and Herald before helping Hampshire to maximum batting points yesterday with a half-century.

“It is a huge match for us against Durham – it is must win as we are fighting against relegation.

“Obviously, the call-up is on the back of your mind – we fly out next week – but right now I am thinking about Hampshire.”

Dawson made the breakthrough into England’s 50-over side in the final one-day international match against Pakistan earlier this month.

The Calne cricketer, who also features for West of England Premier League side Goatacre when available, picked up 2-70 from his eight overs during that four-wicket defeat in Cardiff.

Having made the breakthrough into the England set-up, Dawson said that there was no way he was going to turn down the chance to keep his place in the squad, despite captain Eoin Morgan and opening batsman Alex Hales both making themselves unavailable for the tour due to security fears.

“I have listened to all the advice we have been given and I don’t have any concerns,” he said. “The security officials went over and felt that it was safe for us to. There is no way I could pass up this opportunity.”

Despite a hectic summer, Dawson is facing up to an equally busy winter after being named in the England Lions squad for a training camp in Dubai, alongside his Hampshire teammate Tom Alsop, from Rowde, where they will play two matches against UAE and Afghanistan.

“After Bangladesh, it is straight out to Dubai for a training camp with the Lions but you want to be busy like this – that is why you play cricket,” Dawson said.