Michael Andrew Atherton was born on 23 March 1968 and is a broadcaster, journalist and a former England international first-class cricketer.
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32 Facts About Mike Atherton
2.
Mike Atherton had several famed bouts with bowlers including South Africa's Allan Donald and Australia's Glenn McGrath.
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3.
Mike Atherton often played the anchor role at a time when England batting performances lacked consistency.
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4.
Mike Atherton's playing career included controversy, including ball tampering, and several brushes with the media with whom, by Atherton's own admission, he did not have a good understanding when he was a player.
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5.
Mike Atherton's family includes several known sportspeople, such as his father Alan, a former Manchester United reserve central defender in the 1960s.
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6.
Mike Atherton's performances led to selection for the England under-19 team, which he captained aged 16.
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8.
Mike Atherton's chance came when several England players announced their decision to go on a rebel tour to South Africa and so were banned from the Test team.
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9.
Mike Atherton learned that he would make his debut when captain David Gower threw a plastic bag of England caps and sweaters at him.
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10.
Mike Atherton returned to the England side in the summer of 1990, partnering Graham Gooch at the top of the order and giving the first demonstration of his abilities at international level.
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11.
Mike Atherton shared an opening partnership of 204 with Gooch against India at Lord's, in the match famous for Gooch's scores of 333 and 123, as well as further big opening partnerhips in the next two Tests, and Test centuries against New Zealand and India earned him the title of Young Cricketer of the Year.
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12.
Mike Atherton struggled against the West Indies in 1991 and missed the 1992 Cricket World Cup and tour of New Zealand with fitness problems, but was recalled to the Test team in the summer of 1992.
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14.
Mike Atherton's reputation suffered a blow when he was implicated in a ball-tampering controversy during the first Test against South Africa at Lord's, for which he was fined £2,000 by Ray Illingworth.
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15.
Mike Atherton was accused of lying to Peter Burge, the match referee.
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16.
Mike Atherton believed that Burge was referring to nefarious substances such as resin or lip salve.
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17.
Nonetheless the TV pictures were damning, showing Mike Atherton deliberately putting dirt, taken from the pitch, on the ball.
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18.
Strictly speaking, Mike Atherton was not breaking the laws – he pointed out that plenty of bowlers improve their grip on the ball by rubbing their hands on the pitch.
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19.
Mike Atherton played one of his best innings, grinding out 99 before being caught and bowled by Brian McMillan.
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20.
Mike Atherton stated that this innings was the best answer he could have given to the 'gutter press'.
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21.
Mike Atherton led England to a win in the third Test at the Oval, which tied the series, although he failed to score a century.
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22.
Mike Atherton continued to play Test cricket for a further four years before retiring at the end of the 2001 Ashes.
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23.
Mike Atherton averaged under thirty, with only one century in 33 tests.
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24.
Mike Atherton was dismissed for nought on 20 occasions at Test level, which was an English record at the time of his retirement.
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25.
Mike Atherton was a journalist for The Sunday Telegraph and succeeded Christopher Martin-Jenkins as The Times cricket correspondent on 1 May 2008.
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26.
Mike Atherton joined the Sky Sports commentary team in 2005, after they won the rights to live Test cricket in England, joining long-time England teammate Nasser Hussain, their former England coach David "Bumble" Lloyd and former England captain David Gower.
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27.
Mike Atherton has written Gambling: A Story of Triumph and Disaster, published in 2006.
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29.
Mike Atherton has gained fame for his no nonsense but dryly humorous views on cricket.
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31.
Mike Atherton made his first-class debut for Middlesex versus Gloucestershire at Cheltenham on 5 July 2021.
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32.
Mike Atherton suffers from the degenerative condition ankylosing spondylitis, which meant he could not duck under bouncers, but had to stand tall and sway out of the way.
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