By Thrasy Petropoulos BBC Sport Online cricket writer

As a Lancastrian living in Essex, Ronnie Irani has always gone out of his way to prove his commitment to his adopted county.

Even so, it came as a surprise to find Irani, dressed only in a towel when all of his team-mates were fully clothed and heading home, sitting in the Essex dressing-room.

Doubtless he was still contemplating his dismissal to the last ball of the second day against Derbyshire at a time when Essex were re-establishing a position of dominance in the game.

Two days later, however, Irani had a chance to make amends.

Essex had been set 190 to win in 40 overs, a stiff target on a seamer-friendly pitch.

Out came Irani with his side 26 for three - effectively for four with Richard Clinton unable to bat - to hit a scintillating century off 70 balls and help reach the target with a full seven overs to spare.

Irani bowls Surrey's Nadeem Shahid

Time and again this season, the Essex captain has refused to accept a lost cause.

Against Sussex in the B&H Cup Zonal stage he came out at 18 for four to hit 47, then responded to the opposition being more than halfway to their target with the second-wicket pair still together by taking five for 36.

Figures of four for 38 and five for 28 followed against Surrey and Hampshire followed in the same competition.

And he hit a brilliant 86 off 73 balls (including five sixes) to overcome Middlesex's imposing 291 for five in the C&G Trophy.

Poor record

It is, however, for the ultimate lost cause that Irani may be saving his best - England's one-day team.

It looked for all the world as if he had played his last one-day international almost five years ago.

Few would have given Irani a chance of regaining his place after averaging less than 10 with the bat and more than 60 with the ball in 10 matches.

Another England chance is on the cards

But the death of Ben Hollioake, who was a member of England's one-day squad only weeks before being killed in a car crash in Australia, and Irani's early-season form could have altered the landscape.

And if he does regain his place for the triangular series involving India and Sri Lanka later this summer, a World Cup berth would be there for the taking.

"He's now a proper allrounder, not just a batsman who bowls" is England captain - and Essex teammate - Nasser Hussain's opinion of Irani, who would have set himself three goals for this season.

They are: to lead Essex back into the First Division of the county championship, reach at least one Lord's final and at last do himself justice in England colours.

The Lord's objective has now been achieved and having done all in his powers to give Essex a fine start to the season in all competitions, it is now for others to decide whether Irani deserves perhaps the greatest prize of all.