Cricket World Mourns as England Legend Graham Thorpe Dies at 55

Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has passed away at the age of 55 after a two-year battle with a serious illness. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced his death, expressing ‘deep shock’ and describing Thorpe as ‘one of England’s finest-ever batters’.Thorpe had an illustrious playing career, representing England in 100 Test matches between 1993 and 2005, scoring 6,744 runs with an average of 44.66. He also appeared in 82 One-Day Internationals, accumulating 2,380 runs. At the county level, Thorpe amassed 21,937 runs for Surrey in First Class cricket, with 49 centuries and an average of 45.04.After retiring as a player, Thorpe transitioned into coaching. He served as England’s batting coach and assistant coach, playing a key role in England’s resurgence in white-ball cricket and helping them win their first ODI World Cup in 2019. In March 2022, he was appointed as Afghanistan’s head coach, but due to his illness, he was unable to take up the role.The cricket world has been united in mourning Thorpe’s passing. Current England Test captain Ben Stokes led the tributes, sharing a photo of himself wearing Thorpe’s Test cap number 564. Surrey Cricket Club Chair Oli Slipper said, ‘Graham is one of the great sons of Surrey and there is an overwhelming sadness that he will not walk through the gates of the Oval again’.Thorpe was known not only for his cricketing prowess but also for his impact on the next generation of players. He had worked with rising stars such as Steve Smith and David Warner in Australia. Before his passing, Thorpe had also praised Indian cricket star Virat Kohli, calling him ‘one of the best’.The ECB’s statement concluded, ‘The cricket world is in mourning today. Our hearts go out to his wife Amanda, his children, father Geoff, and all of his family and friends during this unimaginably difficult time’.

Key points

• Former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has died at 55 after a two-year illness.
• Thorpe played 100 Test matches for England, scoring 6,744 runs with an average of 44.

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• He transitioned to coaching after retirement, helping England win their first ODI World Cup in 2019.
• The cricket world, including current players and officials, has expressed deep shock and sadness at his passing.