Former England batsman and coach Graham Thorpe He passed away at the age of 55. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the tragic news on Monday, August 5. Thorpe was known for his exceptional skills as a left-handed batsman.
With a career spanning 13 years, Thorpe played 100 test matches for Englandscoring 6744 runs with the help of 16 centuries before retiring from the game in 2005. One of England’s iconic figures, Thorpe also featured in 83 ODIs, amassing 2380 runs, and had the honour of captaining the England cricket team on three occasions.
English cricket icon Graham Thorpe dies aged 55
In addition to his playing career, Thorpe made significant contributions as a coach, serving in a variety of roles for the England cricket team from 2010 to 2022. His death comes two years after it was reported that he had become seriously ill and was undergoing treatment in a UK hospital.
In 2022, the Cricket Players’ Association (PCA) issued a statement on behalf of Thorpe’s family, saying that the former left-handed batsman had “fallen seriously ill” at the time and was in hospital for treatment. The PCA also revealed that “Thorpe’s prognosis is unclear at this stage.”
Meanwhile, the ECB He expressed his deep sorrow at Thorpe’s passing while praising his legacy as one of the greatest players of his generation and his impactful coaching career with the England team.
The ECB said in an official statement: “There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death. More than just one of England’s greatest batsmen, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans around the world. His ability was unquestionable, and his skills and achievements over a 13-year international career brought such happiness to his team-mates and the supporters of England and Surrey CCC alike.
Later, as a coach, he guided England’s top talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game. The cricketing world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, his father Geoff and all his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.”
It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away.
There seem to be no adequate words to describe the profound shock we feel at Graham’s death. image.twitter.com/VMXqxVJJCh
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) August 5, 2024
Graham Thorpe is one of Surrey’s great sons: Surrey Cricket Club
Thorpe was also a standout player at county level, amassing 21,937 runs for Surrey in first-class cricket. He made 49 centuries at an impressive average of 45.04. He also has 10,871 runs in List A cricket from 354 matches to his name. Meanwhile, Surrey Cricket Club chairman Oli Slipper also paid tribute to Thorpe by hailing him as one of Surrey’s great sons.
Oli Slipper said in a statement: “Graham is one of Surrey’s great sons and it is with 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 outstanding contributions to the club as a cricketer and as a man and will be greatly missed.”
