 Dawkes' reliability as a wicketkeeper was commented on in many editions of Wisden across the 1950s, but his season figures were rarely spectacular, Derbyshire relying heavily on a fast bowling attack consisting for the bulk of Dawkes' career of Les Jackson and Cliff Gladwin, which gave a lot of chances to slip fielders such as Donald Carr, as well as behind the wicket.But he achieved, on behalf of Jackson, a hat-trick of catches in the match against Worcestershire at Kidderminster in 1958.In 1961, after 13 seasons for Derbyshire without being much affected by injury, Dawkes was sidelined for more than half the season by problems with his knee.