The world of cricket mourns the loss of Graham Thorpe, who has passed away at the age of 55. 2024 has been a hard year for cricket fans as this loss follows that of Derek Underwood, who died on 16 April.
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Thorpe is known for his exceptional skills on the field and he left his mark with a career spanning over a decade. He made his international debut for the England cricket team in 1993, when he also scored his first Test century at Trent Bridge against Australia, as per The Independent.
His last century was made in Durban in 2004 against South Africa. Thorpe played exactly 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005 and 82 one-day internationals. Over the course of his career, Thorpe scored 6744 runs for England at an average of 44.66. He also bagged 16 centuries according to the BBC. He eventually transitioned into a coach and took up commentary roles.
England cricket legend Graham Thorpe dies at the age of 55
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed in a statement today (August 5) that former Surrey and England left-hander Thorpe has passed away. The statement read:
It is with great sadness that the ECB shares 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.
The statement articulated Thrope’s skills as a cricketer - both as a player and as a coach - during his 13-year International career. ECB added:
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. We will always remember Graham for his extraordinary contributions to the sport.
No details have been revealed about his death or health
Graham Thorpe’s cause of death is not yet revealed, but it is understood his health struggles began in 2022. According to Mirror, the Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) issued an update in May 2022 on behalf of Thorpe’s family that the cricketer was ‘seriously ill’ and admitted to a hospital.
The statement read:
Graham Thorpe has recently fallen seriously ill and is currently in hospital receiving treatment. His prognosis is unclear at this stage and we ask for privacy for him and his family at this time. Our thoughts are with Graham and his family.
The update came right around the time Thorpe accepted the job of Afghanistan’s head coach following his departure as England’s batting coach. He served as England’s batting coach in two stints and also stood in as acting head coach for Chris Silverwood during his pandemic absence.
Following the update, Thorpe was unable to take on the position of Afghanistan’s head coach and not much was said about his health. Despite the lack of specific information about his illness, the cricket world has rallied around Thorpe, expressing their support and best wishes.
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Sources Used
The Independent: Graham Thorpe death: Former England cricketer dies at age 55
BBC: Former England batter Thorpe dies aged 55
Mirror: Graham Thorpe cause of death: Everything we know as cricket legend dies aged 55
