Liam Dawson: 'To come here and play three games and do well so far feels good.'

Liam Dawson has warned the North that there will be no let-up from the South as they aim to clinch a 3-0 whitewash in the North-South Series in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.

Dawson has excelled in both the South’s opening victories, taking two for 29 in the first game and then following a commanding 83 with another tidy two-wicket spell in the second.

The 27-year-old had spoken before the series of his desire to make an impression, after an enjoyable winter on the road with England which has nevertheless had its frustrations as he has been limited to a single Test appearance and one international T20.

He has certainly done that, rivalling Middlesex opener Dawid Malan as the player of the series so far in front of England coach Trevor Bayliss, his assistant Paul Farbrace – who is also the South coach – and national selectors James Whitaker and Mick Newell.

“At the start of the series we said we wanted to win every game and win 3-0, and we’re going to Abu Dhabi with a chance to do that,” said Dawson.

“I’ve carried a lot of drinks this winter, I haven’t played much cricket, so to come here and show what I can do, I’m obviously very happy with that.

“It’s been an exciting winter to be involved in all the formats, great to be around, but obviously you want to play cricket as well, so to come here and play three games and do well so far feels good.”

Dawson has relished resuming his Hampshire county partnership with James Vince, who has captained the South team superbly, and also linking up again with Andy Flower, Farbrace’s assistant coach in the South set-up who took charge of both Dawson and Vince in Dubai when England Lions played Pakistan A last winter.

“It’s been good to work with Andy again, and obviously me and Vincey go back a long way,” he added.

But he is non-committal about his confidence or otherwise of securing a place in England’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy which will be played on home soil this summer – with the 15-man squad to be named next month.

“Who knows what squad England will pick for the Champions Trophy?” said Dawson. “All you can do is keep putting performances in. Hopefully I can do that again in the third game in Abu Dhabi, and when I go back to county cricket with Hampshire, put in some strong white-ball performances and see where I end up.”