In domestic cricket, Gatting wasone of the most prolific batsmen in England for most of his career, but it tookhim several years to establish himself in the England team. He initially hadgreat difficulty converting fifties into centuries at Test match level and hedid not achieve a Test century until his 54th Test innings; he went on toaccumulate ten hundreds in all. His highest Test score of 207 was scored in Madras (now Chennai); this was the seconddouble century by an English cricketer in Indiain the same innings as Graeme Fowler, who scored the first double century:this was the first time that two English batsmen had made double centuries inthe same Test innings.

 He captained England to an Ashesseries victory in Australia in 1986/87. Later that year came the "ShakoorRana affair" when Gatting argued with a Pakistani umpire in Faisalabad.The England hierarchy supported him in Pakistan, but he was sacked as Englandcaptain the following summer over an alleged encounter with a barmaid,triggering the "summer of four captains". Hesubsequently led a highly controversial rebel tour to South Africa. Gatting hitthe headlines during the tour for describing a protest outside the rebel team'shotel as "a few people singing and dancing".^[1]

In June 1993 during England'sfirst innings at Old Trafford Gatting received Shane Warne'sfirst delivery in an Ashes match. Warne pitched the ball a foot outside legstump, and spun the ball past Gatting's bat to clip the off bail. This issometimes referred to as the Ball of the Century. His dismissal in thesecond innings was also unusual in that he was bowled off the very last ball ofthe fourth day's play by Merv Hughes, meaning he was unable to help England tobat out the last day (Australia eventually won in the last session on the 5thday).

Gatting was hit full on the noseby West Indies great Malcolm Marshall during a one day match in 1984,shattering it. The bowler later finding shards of Gatting's nose embedded inthe leather. This would set the tone for the series, as the West Indiesfearsome pace attack thrashed England 5-0.^[2]

Another mishap for which Gattingwill be remembered is being caught by Australian wicketkeeper Greg Dyer aftertrying to play a reverse sweep off opposing captain AllanBorder's first ball during the 1987 World Cup final.

His last Tests were played ontour in Australia in 1994/95. GrahamGooch and himself were the only two members of the original touring partyto be fit for all matches, although they were the two oldest in the squad. Inthe first innings of the Adelaide Test he scored his final century (117), abattling effort where he spent a lot of time in the nineties, which helpedEngland to the only win of the series.

Gatting was a useful right armmedium pace bowler. He averaged under thirty with the ball in both first-classand List A cricket, but he did not bowl with great frequency. Perhaps hisfinest bowling performance was against South Africa during the final One Day International of the 1989/90 rebelEngland tour to South Africa where his 6/26 helped England to a comfortable 134run victory.^[3]

Gatting was named as one of Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year in 1984, andwas awarded an OBE in 1987.

He retired from first-classcricket in 1998 and has since worked as a coach and commentator. He was thePresident of the Lord's Taverners for 2005/2006 and an electedmember of the M.C.C. Committee.

Mike Gatting is not the onlymember of his family to have been a professional sportsman; his brother, SteveGatting, was a professional footballerfor Arsenaland Brighton & Hove Albion. Steve'sson, Joe,played for Brighton & Hove Albion, having progressed from their youthscheme, however Joe is now a professional cricket player with Sussex.

He appeared as himself on The Archerson 9 September 2007 at the centre of a misunderstanding between Sid and JolenePerks during the npower Village Cup Final at Lord's cricket ground^[4]