| Personal information | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting style | Right-hand bat | |||
| Bowling style | Right-arm medium pace or off-breaks | |||
| Career statistics | ||||
| Competition | Tests | ODIs | ||
| Matches | 4 | 1 | ||
| Runs scored | 167 | - | ||
| Batting average | 33.39 | - | ||
| 100s/50s | -/1 | -/- | ||
| Top score | 82* | - | ||
| Balls bowled | 672 | 54 | ||
| Wickets | 10 | - | ||
| Bowling average | 34.79 | - | ||
| 5 wickets in innings | - | - | ||
| 10 wickets in match | - | n/a | ||
| Best bowling | 3/64 | - | ||
| Catches/stumpings | 1/- | -/- | ||
| Source: [1], 1 January 2006 | ||||
Mike Watkinson (born 1 August 1961 in Westhoughton, near Bolton, Lancashire) is a former English cricketer who played four Test matches and one One Day International in the mid-1990s. A right-handed batsman and a right-arm bowler of either medium-pace or off-spin, he was instrumental in Lancashire's successes in the 1990s, and is now the county's cricket manager.
He showed early promise as an all-round sportsman, excelling in both cricket and football, and achieving good standards in golf and basketball. He demonstrated that good hand, ball and eye co-ordination can be applied to many sports, and thus it is no surprise that he was able to make his living through sport.
Watkinson attended Westhoughton County Primary School, and then Rivington & Blackrod Grammar School (later R & B High). During this time he was a regular player at Westhoughton Cricket Club in the Bolton Cricket League, where he drew attention from Teddy Gerrard, a coach at the club. He started playing in local matches for the Astley Region Southern Explorers, this is where his bowling skills really developed. Under the expert tuition of coach Wayne Kerr, Watkinson developed a very accurate style of bowling inswingers and leg breaks, using pitch rather than pace to score wickets.
It was from these beginnings, and following great cricketing predecessors in the club (four of the Tyldesley family made the ground staff at Old Trafford, with Dick Tyldesley reaching International level with England) that Watkinson emulated the local heroes, playing for Lancashire and England. He was captain of the Lancashire side from 1992 to 1997.
He has taken the position of Club Manager for Lancashire, and no longer plays professional cricket.
Mike Watkinson currently lives with his family in Bromley Cross, where he donated a bench to the locals. He is an avid follower of the football team Bolton Wanderers.