A ruggedly built right-arm fast bowler, Joe Dawes was an unfortunate victim of the extraordinary strength and depth of Queensland's pace bowling division and spent most of his early career watching Michael Kasprowicz, Andy Bichel and Adam Dale decimate the opposition. An injury to Kasprowicz and a Test return for Bichel gave Dawes a long-awaited opportunity to grasp a regular starting berth in 2001-02, which he did until struck down by a serious knee injury in 2005. Dawes, who played one game for the Bulls in 2005-06, has not given up hope of a recall, but he lost his contract this winter and if he is forced into retirement he will finish as the state's eighth-highest wicket-taker with 238 at 24.94 in 64 matches. They are fine figures for a man who refused to give up and did his best work in his 30s. His strong, bullocking style netted him 49 first-class wickets in 2001-02 - he led the competition as Queensland claimed back-to-back titles - and he showed his consistency by grabbing 43 in 2002-03 and 46 in 2004-05. Rewarded with part-time stints at Middlesex and the Marylebone Cricket Club, he was a useful fill-in and his status as a professional cricketer allowed him to move away from his roles as a plain-clothes policeman and media advisor. He owns a newsagency, is in partnership with Queensland team-mate Ashley Noffke in a sports-shoe business and is Queensland Cricket's player professional development manager.
Cricinfo staff June 2006

Club: Valley

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