Former England cricketer Thorpe dies at the age
Shortly after being appointed Afghanistan’s head coach in March 2022, Thorpe had to step down from his role due to illness, after stepping down from the England squad after this winter’s Ashes. Former England batsman Graham Thorpe died on Monday. He was 55 years old.
Thorpe played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005 and also served as the national team’s coach for more than a decade. We are deeply saddened to announce that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away. Words cannot describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death. He was one of the greatest batsmen of all time, a much-loved member of the cricket family and revered by fans around the world.
We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of his wife Amanda Thorpe.
The cricket world is in mourning today. Our condolences go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff and all his family and friends at this unimaginably difficult time,” said a statement issued by the ECB. Shortly after being appointed Afghanistan head coach in March 2022, Thorpe had to step down from his role due to illness, after stepping down from the team after this winter’s Ashes.
Graham Thorpe has recently fallen seriously ill and is currently receiving treatment in hospital. His prognosis is unclear at this time and we ask for privacy for him and his family at this time. Our thoughts are with Graham and his family,” the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) said at the time.
Known for his elegant batting style, Thorpe played 100 Test matches for England, amassing over 6,700 runs. His contributions to cricket, both as a player and coach, have left a lasting legacy in the sport.
Thorpe represented Surrey from 1988-2005 and scored over 21,000 runs throughout his first-class career. Regarded as one of the finest English batsmen of his generation, Thorpe hit 16 Test centuries, including a career-best innings of 200 not out against New Zealand.
Thorpe worked with Steve Smith and David Warner
Following his retirement, Thorpe began his coaching career with New South Wales, working with Steve Smith and David Warner. However, he soon returned to join the national team as batting coach, before he was promoted to assistant coach under Trevor Bayliss.
Following his retirement, Thorpe began his coaching career with New South Wales, working with Steve Smith and David Warner. However, he soon returned to join the national team as batting coach, before he was promoted to assistant coach under Trevor Bayliss.
Graham is one of Surrey’s great sons and it is a great sadness that he will never walk through the doors of the Oval again. He is a Surrey legend and brought great pride to the club wearing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions,” Surrey chairman Ollie Slipper said.
Tributes from Thorpe’s former county
Surrey chairman Ollie Slipper led the tributes from Thorpe’s former county, where he made over 300 appearances in both first-class and List A cricket during a 17-year career. Graham is one of Surrey’s great sons and it is a great sadness that he will not be passing through the gates of the Oval again. He is a Surrey legend and brought great pride to the club wearing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions.
He made an outstanding contribution to the club as a cricketer and as a human being and will be greatly missed.
Graham Thorpe: 1969-2024, Thorpe made his first-class debut for Surrey in the summer of 1988 and established himself as a regular player during the 1989 season.
He finally made his debut for England at the age of 24, scoring 114 on debut against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993. Thorpe became a middle-order mainstay, scoring an unbeaten double century against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2002, one of the most memorable knocks of his career – his innings included 28 fours and four sixes.
Played occasionally for England
Thorpe played occasionally for England until he retired from international cricket in 2005. He began a coaching career in Australia, where he worked with the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner at New South Wales, before joining the England and Wales Cricket Board as batting coach.
He was appointed Afghanistan head coach in March 2022 after stepping down from the England squad, but did not take up the position due to ill health.
Conclusion
Words cannot describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death. Apart from being one of England’s finest ever batsmen, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and respected by fans around the world. His skill was unquestionable.
His abilities and achievements over a 13-year international career brought great joy to his teammates and to England and Surrey CCC supporters. Later, as a coach, he guided England’s best talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.
