Colin Ronald Michael Atkinson CBE (23 July 1931 – 25 June 1991) was an English first-class cricketer, schoolmaster and the headmaster of Millfield School.
He played from 1951 to 1958 for Northumberland and Durham, then also a Minor County, and appeared for the Minor Counties representative side in the first-class match against the Indian touring side, his first first-class appearance.
Having joined the staff at Millfield, he was approached to join Somerset for the 1960 season, the new captain at Somerset that season being, like Atkinson, a Teessider, Harold Stephenson. In 1960, He only appeared in the school holidays, and took his first five-wicket haul, five for 56, against Kent at Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare.
In the following two seasons, released from his school duties for the summer terms, he played almost all matches for Somerset. He was awarded his county cap in 1961 and made his first half-centuries in 1962. His seven wickets for 54 runs against Gloucestershire at the County Ground, Taunton in 1962 remained his best bowling performance.
Then, at the end of the 1964 season, Harold Stephenson, stepped down from the Somerset captaincy and Atkinson was released from school duties to take the job for 1965. He was an instant success: Somerset led the County Championship table in June 1965, eventuality finishing seventh and third in 1966, equalling their then highest-ever placing in the Championship. His final duty in 1967, was to lead Somerset in the Gillette Cup knock-out final at Lord’s, but the game was a disappointment, and Kent won the match. (See the article The Forgotten Final by Richard Walsh).
Photo from SCCC Players, Photographs and Statistics – available in the Museum and Library
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