Mark Atkinson left NSW at the beginning of the 1991/92 season to play cricket in Tasmania without a contract or a promise. By February that season he was selected to make his first class debut for Tasmania to play Pakistan.

An excellent gloveman and very effective batsman Atkinson proceeded to carve out a tremendous first class career during a successful era for Tasmanian cricket.

After 95 first class games Atkinson holds the record for the most number of dismissals for Tasmania with 290 dismissals – 261 catches and 29 stumpings.