After various false starts, Graham Onions, a right-arm seam bowler, finally received his maiden England cap against the West Indies in 2009. When presented with the opportunity, Onions established a lasting taste of his prowess. In May 2009 at Lord's, as the West Indies were pegged at 99-4 in their first innings, skipper Andrew Strauss tossed the ball to his debutant right-arm speedster. In the septet of deliveries that followed, Onions knocked down four Windies, almost single-handedly dismantling their tail. Armed with a potent in-swinger, his end-to-end style helped him to debut figures of 5-38 and England notching an innings victory.

The peak of his career arrived after prolonged outings with the main squad for three years, being repeatedly included to tour - once even lined-up to replace an injured Darren Gough - yet never to make it to the first eleven. Recurring back injuries too played spoilsport. But all factors culminated to add to his determination, and a fiver on debut released all of Onions’ pent up potential at one go. He retained his place for the 2009 Ashes series, and a 4-58 in his Ashes debut helped England level the series. Later that year, courageous, last-wicket heroics with the bat to deny South Africa victories in two away Tests peeled a new layer of fame.