Liam Dawson retires from first-class cricket

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Liam Dawson has brought the curtain down on his first-class career with immediate effect, ending a red-ball journey that spanned more than 200 appearances for Hampshire.

The 36-year-old all-rounder will continue to represent Hampshire in white-ball cricket and said the decision was taken to extend his career in the shorter formats. Dawson featured in four County Championship games this season, picking up seven wickets, before missing Hampshire’s heavy defeat to Glamorgan because of injury.

A left-arm spinning all-rounder, Dawson leaves the first-class game with 10828 runs and more than 380 wickets. Only Robin Smith, Jimmy Adams and James Vince have scored more first-class runs for Hampshire in the 21st century.

Dawson also played four Tests for England, including a surprise call-up last year against India at Old Trafford in 2025. Across his first-class career, he registered 17 centuries and 54 fifties, with a highest score of 171 against Kent in 2022.

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but I felt the time was right,” Dawson said in a statement released by Hampshire. “I’m proud to have represented Hampshire for so long and look forward to continuing in white-ball cricket.”

Hampshire director of cricket Giles White described Dawson as “an outstanding servant” to the club and admitted his absence would leave a significant gap in the Championship side.

The announcement came shortly after Dawson was omitted from England’s squad for the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s.