World of cricket mourns loss of one of the best all-rounders.
Credit: Ben Stokes, X
The former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe MBE has died at the age of 55.
One of the best Test batters in English cricket, the news of his passing came as a shock to everyone in the sport, not least the England and Wales Cricket Board who said ‘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 all over the world.’
The all-rounder, a talent to be reckoned with
The all-rounder Thorpe, a left-handed batter and right-handed bowler, played 100 Test matches and scored 49 first-class centuries, averaging 45.04, before his retirement. On his debut against Leicestershire in 1988, he batted at No 8 and took the wickets of David Gower and Peter Willey.
Plagued by emotional distress
But Thorpe’s game was plagued by emotional distress from off the pitch. Mike Atherton once said. ‘A happy, contented Graham Thorpe is a world-class player, his presence beneficial to any team. If something off the field is eating away at him, he cannot put it to the back of his mind and concentrate on his cricket.’ In 2002 he retired from the game as he was attempting to cope with the stress of his divorce and what he called a ‘total breakdown.’
After remarrying to his second wife, Amanda, he moved into coaching, starting out in Australia coaching the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner at New South Wales. He was appointed Afghanistan head coach in March 2022 following his departure from the England set-up, but did not take up the role due to ill health.
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