 Dawkes was awarded his Derbyshire county cap in 1948, and also increased his own personal highest score in the match against Nottinghamshire at Ilkeston that season, scoring 95 in a partnership of 149 for the sixth wicket with George Pope which took control of what had been until then an even game.That remained his highest score for six seasons, and his batting went through something of a trough from 1949 to 1953, in a couple of years averaging only 12 runs per innings.That he was on the fringes of consideration for the England Test team in this postwar period is indicated by the fact that he was chosen in 1948 for the opening Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) match of the season, against Yorkshire, and for the season-ending North v South match.