Liam Dawson stood at his mark, ball cradled in his hands, forearms level, elbows splayed, sunglasses perched unnecessarily on his nose. There was nothing bright about the grey Mancunian afternoon except the 35-year-old's immediate future. Eight years after his last Test outing, he was once again a Test cricketer.
Many players give umpires items of clothing to look after; Dawson handed Ahsan Raza his sunglasses while he bowled. Batters seeking clues from his eyes would learn nothing. On a day when other English spinners like Jack Leach, Tom Hartley and Rehan Ahmed impressed in county cricket, Dawson had to make do with more high-profile but less eye-catching returns. Yet he conjured one great moment.
His teammates had noted his competitiveness. “He’s willing to always fight for the team,” Harry Brook said. Ben Stokes added, “What goes under the radar is his competitiveness.” It was evident after the first ball of his second over found Yashasvi Jaiswal's edge and Brook's hands. Dawson sprinted, yelled, and punched the air, but swiftly broke from the huddle to prepare for the next challenge, bowling round the wicket to Shubman Gill.
There is a pleasing air of certainty about Dawson, experienced enough to know exactly what he is doing and where his teammates should be. Gill could only admire enviously, having lost the toss and later been dismissed leaving a Stokes delivery. India's luck did not hold, with freak damage to Jaiswal's bat and a blow to Rishabh Pant's foot. But for Dawson, his fairytale comeback produced a moment to savour.
