Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe, known as one of the best Test batsmen of his time, has died at the age of 55 from an illness that he had been suffering from since time.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed his death, saying, “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away. There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death.”
“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans worldwide. His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike. Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men’s talent to incredible victories across all game formats.”
“The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.”
In 2002, Thorpe took a break from cricket to deal with his first marriage falling apart. The media humiliation and being separated from his two children caused a “total breakdown.” However, after a 13-month break, he returned to the Test team in 2003 with a brilliant century against South Africa at the Oval. The following year was the best of his career, with an average of 73.15 in 20 Test innings in 2004, all while batting at No. 5.
Thorpe was a skilled left-handed batter and a right-handed bowler. In his 12-year international career, he played exactly 100 Test matches and 82 ODIs. He also played 189 first-class matches for Surrey, scoring 49 centuries and averaging 45.04 runs before retiring in 2005.
