Mark N. Atkinson

{{Short description|Australian cricketer}}

{{For|other people named Mark Atkinson|Mark Atkinson (disambiguation){{!}}Mark Atkinson}}

{{Use Australian English|date=September 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Mark Atkinson

| image =

| country = Australia

| fullname = Mark Neville Atkinson

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|2|11|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

| nickname =

| heightft =

| heightinch =

| heightm =

| batting = Right-handed

| bowling =

| role = Wicket-keeper

| club1 = Tasmania

| year1 = 1992–2000

| clubnumber1 =

| type1 = First-class

| debutdate1 = 9 February

| debutyear1 = 1992

| debutfor1 = Tasmania

| debutagainst1 = Pakistan

| lastdate1 = 9 March

| lastyear1 = 2000

| lastfor1 = Tasmania

| lastagainst1 = Victoria

| type2 = List A

| debutdate2 = 24 October

| debutyear2 = 1992

| debutfor2 = Tasmania

| debutagainst2 = South Australia

| lastdate2 = 12 February

| lastyear2 = 2000

| lastfor2 = Tasmania

| lastagainst2 = Western Australia

| columns = 2

| column1 = First-class

| matches1 = 95

| runs1 = 2735

| bat avg1 = 31.80

| 100s/50s1 = 0/9

| top score1 = 76*

| deliveries1 = 24

| wickets1 = 0

| bowl avg1 = –

| fivefor1 = 0

| tenfor1 = 0

| best bowling1 = 0/1

| catches/stumpings1 = 261/29

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 42

| runs2 = 416

| bat avg2 = 21.89

| 100s/50s2 = 0/1

| top score2 = 58*

| deliveries2 = –

| wickets2 = –

| bowl avg2 = –

| fivefor2 = –

| tenfor2 = –

| best bowling2 = –

| catches/stumpings2 = 51/11

| date = 21 September

| year = 2011

| source = https://cricketarchive.com/Players/2/2381/2381.html CricketArchive

}}

Mark Neville Atkinson (born 11 February 1969, in Sydney, New South Wales) is a former Australian cricket player, who played for Tasmania. He played for the Tigers from 1990 until 2000, and was a regular feature in both their first class and one-day sides.

Mark Atkinson is a current cricket coach and former first-class player, representing Tasmania, the Prime Ministers XI and Australia 'A' teams in a successful 10-year career throughout the 1990s and early 2000s.

Atkinson was a cornerstone player in an excellent era for Tasmanian and Australian cricket, serving as the Tigers' wicketkeeper-batsman throughout. In a team that featured record-breaking players like Ricky Ponting, Colin Miller, Dene Hills, Jamie Cox and Michael DiVenuto, Atkinson's first-class record rendered him unlucky not to receive full Test honours. Nevertheless, Atkinson carved a fine reputation as an outstanding gloveman and consistent batsman and went on to play in multiple Sheffield Shield finals. He currently holds the record for the most dismissals by a Tasmanian wicketkeeper.

Through both playing and now coaching, Atkinson's involvement in cricket spans from grassroots through to the elite level. Today, he is founder and Managing Director of [https://www.elitecricket.com.au Elite Cricket], a cricket coaching venture that services players of all skill-levels in Sydney and its surrounds. His insight and coaching methods have seen him sought out for private sessions with current and former Test cricketers and professionals alike.