Denis Atkinson

Denis St Eval Atkinson (9 August 1926 – 9 November 2001) was a West Indian cricketer who played 22 Test matches in the 1950s as an all-rounder, hitting 922 runs and taking 47 wickets. He also played first-class cricket for Barbados and Trinidad.

Denis Atkinson

Atkinson in 1956
Personal information
Born	(1926-08-09)9 August 1926 Rockley, Christ Church, Barbados
Died	9 November 2001(2001-11-09) (aged 75) Barbados
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium Right-arm off-spin
Role	All-rounder
International information
National side	West Indies
Test debut (cap 67)	10 November 1948 v India
Last Test	17 January 1958 v Pakistan
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 22 78 Runs scored 922 2,812 Batting average 31.79 28.40 100s/50s 1/5 5/14 Top score 219 219 Balls bowled 5,201 15,821 Wickets 47 200 Bowling average 35.04 26.45 5 wickets in innings 3 6 10 wickets in match 0 2 Best bowling 7/53 8/58 Catches/stumpings 11/0 39/0
Source: CricInfo, 30 May 2019

Atkinson holds the Test record for the highest seventh-wicket partnership – as captain, he made a stand of 347 with Clairmonte Depeiaza against Australia in 1954–55 to put up a total of 510 in the first innings of a drawn match.^[1] Atkinson also led West Indies to a series win in New Zealand the following year.

He also holds the record for bowling the highest number of wicketless overs in a Test innings. He recorded 72 overs, 29 maidens, no wicket for 137 runs for the West Indies against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, in 1957.^[2]

When Gary Sobers was a boy Atkinson encouraged him by asking him to bowl to him at practice. Atkinson, who played for the Wanderers Cricket Club in Barbados, was able to leave work at his insurance office early for extra batting practice, and he used to put a shilling on top of the stumps and tell Sobers he could have it if he knocked it off. Sobers said, "it was through him that I eventually received recognition".^[3] Atkinson's younger brother Eric also played Test cricket. Eric's first Test match, against Pakistan at Bridgetown in 1957–58, was Denis's last.^[4][5]

Personal life

Atkinson was a fan of fishing and horse racing. He and his wife Betty had five daughters.^[4]

References

1. "4th Test, Bridgetown, May 14 - 20, 1955, Australia tour of West Indies". Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023.
2. Frindall, Bill (2009). Ask Bearders. BBC Books. p. 131. ISBN 978-1-84607-880-4.
3. Garry Sobers, My Autobiography, Headline, London, 2002, pp. 14–15.
4. Goodwin, Clayton (23 November 2001). "Denis Atkinson". The Guardian.
5. "1st Test, Bridgetown, January 17 - 23, 1958, Pakistan tour of West Indies". Cricinfo. Retrieved 1 November 2023.

External links

• Denis Atkinson at ESPNcricinfo

Preceded by Jeffrey Stollmeyer	West Indies Test cricket captains 1954/5 – 1955/6	Succeeded by John Goddard