Mark Atkinson

Mark Atkinson has made his name as an effective wicketkeeper and stubborn lower order batsman for Tasmania. As a gloveman, Atkinson has proved himself adept at keeping to all types of bowling and he has been a remarkably agile and reliable player throughout his career with his adopted state. With the bat, the Sydney-born player has been far from a great stylist but, in utilising his relatively limited repertoire of cuts, flicks, glides and nudges to maximum effect, he has nonetheless shown a regular capacity to frustrate attacks. For a time through the mid-1990s, such had been the extent of his impact for Tasmania since the time of his debut in the 1991-92 season that he was even touted in some quarters as a possible successor to Australia's then number one wicketkeeper, Ian Healy. However, the national selectors' preference at the time for New South Welshman Phil Emery, together with the subsequent emergence of Adam Gilchrist, has consigned Atkinson to the relative anonymity of making just one semblance of a representative appearance at international level. This was a match for an Australia 'A' side against England in Hobart during the 1994-95 season. (John Polack, August 2000)