11 Facts About Colin Atkinson

Colin Ronald Michael Atkinson was an English first-class cricketer, schoolmaster and the headmaster of Millfield School.

Colin Atkinson was appointed Headmaster at Millfield in 1971 upon the retirement of the school's founder RJO Meyer.

Colin Atkinson was awarded a CBE for his work in education in 1989.

Colin Atkinson was married to Shirley and they had three children: David, Sally and Jonny, himself a first-class cricketer.

In 1960, Colin Atkinson appeared only in the school holidays, and achieved little with the bat, though he took his first five-wicket haul, five for 56, against Kent on the spin-friendly pitch at Clarence Park, Weston-super-Mare.

Colin Atkinson was awarded his county cap in 1961 and made his first half-centuries in 1962.

Bill Alley, rumbustious Australian all-rounder, who had deputised as captain in Stephenson's absence in 1964, was not seen as a long-term captain, and Colin Atkinson was released from school duties to take the job for 1965.

In 1966, Colin Atkinson's bowling fell away, but he advanced as a batsman, making 1120 runs in all matches, though without a century.

Colin Atkinson's final duty 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.

Colin Atkinson was club chairman when the county finally won its first trophies in 1979 and, less happily, he was president during the period when Viv Richards, Joel Garner and Ian Botham were leaving the club in some acrimony.

Colin Atkinson died on 25 June 1991 at Glastonbury, Somerset, aged 59.