Atkins played Minor counties cricket for a few years, before making his debut for Surrey in a first-class match against Cambridge University.
Atkins played 23 further first-class matches for Surrey, the last coming against Derbyshire in the 1993 County Championship.
He played 6 further List A matches for Surrey, the last coming against Somerset in the 1993 AXA Equity and Law League.
[5] This high score came against Suffolk in the 2003 Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy, with Atkins' innings being ended on 110 by Kevin Shaw.
It was some 14 years after playing first-class cricket that he turned out for KwaZulu-Natal Inland against South Western Districts in 2007.