One of the many products of Durham's impressive youth system, seamer Onions first broke through into the first team in 2004. He caught the eye of the England selectors two years later when he was named in their 30-man squad for the Champions Trophy and also replaced the injured Darren Gough in England's one-day squad for the final three one-day internationals against Pakistan without breaking into the starting line-up.

His progress into England's set-up continued on the Lions tour to Bangladesh that winter, but his development stalled when he suffered from a series of injuries throughout the 2008 season. Another Lions tour, this time to New Zealand, reminded England of his abilities and a tough fitness regime paid off the following summer.

He began the 2009 summer with eight wickets against Yorkshire and claimed a six-wicket haul against Somerset, which was marked by a phone call from National Selector Geoff Miller informing him he had been included in the England squad for the Test series against West Indies.

Onions made the most of his chance, claiming five for 38 on his Lord's debut including a spell of four wickets in seven balls, and finished the summer with 20 wickets from just five Tests, two of them during the successful Ashes series although he was overlooked for the triumphant final Test at the Oval.

That successful summer persuaded the selectors to pick him for the winter tour of South Africa ahead of Durham team-mate Steve Harmison and he repaid that faith by claiming another four wickets in the drawn opening Test at Centurion, when he was also required to bat out the final over to save the match.