Graham Thorpe, a former batter for Surrey and England, passed away at the age of 55, according to reports. Between 1993 and 2005, Thorpe participated in 100 Test matches and 82 One-Day Internationals for England.
A graceful left-hand hitter, he averaged 44.66 in amassing 6,744 Test runs, including 16 hundreds, for England. Along with Surrey, the Wales and England Cricket Board (ECB), and present England captain Ben Stokes, others who paid tribute to Thorpe included Michael Vaughan, who called his old team-mate a “legend” who “passed away far too young”.
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“It seems impossible to find the right words to express how deeply shocked we are by Graham’s passing,” the European Central Bank stated in a statement. He was adored by cricket fans worldwide and more than just one of England’s greatest batsmen in history.
“His talent was undeniable, and during his 13-year international career, his accomplishments and talents delighted spectators of Surrey CCC and England as well as his teammates.
“After that, he won numerous amazing games in various formats while serving as a coach for the finest men’s team in England. “Today is a sad day in the cricket world. We send our deepest sympathies to parent Geoff, his wife Amanda, their kids, and all of their loved ones during this unbearably trying time.
“We will never forget Graham for his outstanding service to the sport.” From 1988 until 2005, Thorpe played for Surrey, where he spent his whole first-class career. According to Oli Slipper, the chair of Surrey, Thorpe is considered as one of the county’s “great sons” and his departure from the Oval would be greatly missed.
Steve Elworthy, chief executive of Surrey, continued, “He was a hero to a lot of cricket fans and achieved amazing things for club and community.”
During his 1993 Test debut against Australia, Graham amassed an undefeated 114 in the second innings. In 2002, he set a new Test record of 200 not out against New Zealand.
After retiring from competitive play in 2005, he started his coaching career in Australia. He first worked alongside New South Wales prior to incorporating the England squad from 2010 to 2022.
In March 2022, Graham was named head coach of Afghanistan; however, before he could lead the team, he had to be hospitalized due to a serious illness.
Thorpe was described as “a gritty as well as unfussy left-hander” by a news channel cricket journalist Jonathan Agnew, who named him a “mainstay of England’s center order throughout the 1990s”.
Agnew continued, saying that “no details were provided and that there had been no public reports till today” following the news that Thorpe was originally transferred to the hospital in the year 2022 in a severe condition. Thorpe passed away, although the cause of death is unknown.
What is Graham Thorpe illness?
The Welsh and English cricket board confirmed a legendary cricketer’s death in a statement on Monday. Thorpe had been ill since May of 2022.
The statement said: “We share the news of Graham Thorpe’s passing, MBE, with deep grief. “There seems to be no suitable phrases for expressing the deep shock we experience at Graham’s death.”
Amazing man and legend, “Graham Thorpe”
Following the Professional Cricketers’ Association’s announcement that the former England batter was “seriously ill” in June 2022, England captain Stokes showed his support for Thorpe by donning a special shirt.
The back of the shirt bore Thorpe’s name or the number 564, which denoted his position as the 564th athlete to receive an England cap. During the opening Test match at Lord’s against New Zealand, Stokes took the pitch.
Following the news of Thorpe’s passing, he shared a photo of himself wearing the shirt on social media on Monday along with several heart-shaped emojis. Joe Root, a former captain of England and hitter, called Thorpe a “hero, mentor as well as so much more”.
Another former England captain, Vaughan, expressed gratitude to Thorpe “for all his guidance throughout my career”.
“You were an excellent player and a fantastic teammate,” Vaughan continued. You leave as a legend of England cricket, but you have passed away far too soon.” Ben Duckett, the current England opener, described Thorpe’s passing as “heartbreaking”.
Duckett continued regarding X, saying, “I was lucky to work with someone who was a number of my childhood heroes. During this difficult time, my thoughts are with all of his relatives and close companions.”
Paying homage to his fellow left-hander, ex Sri Lanka captain of the team Kumar Sangakkara called Thorpe a “great man and legend”. In a social media post, the “bible” of the sport referred to Thorpe as “one of England’s greatest batters” and declared him the 1997 Wisden Cricketer of a Year.
Legendary England bowler Shaun Udal stated that “Such terrible news about Graham Thorpe. I’ve played alongside and opposite the little legend since I was ten years old. He was a great player as well as human being.”
The handsome left-hander and former England captain David Gower praised Thorpe for “the way good he was in all situations”.
“One of his milestones… was a 64 not out on Karachi in 2000 when Uk clinched a series that they hadn’t won in Yonks towards Pakistan, in Pakistan, even though they had to accomplish it in pitch black the night,” Gower stated to a Sports news channel.
“We were eighty or ninety meters away in the commentary box, and we were unable to watch live content. “We were only able to witness what was happening thanks to the ingenuity of TV cameras, but it was an impressive demonstration of his tenacity, resolve, and drive to succeed. “He was exceptionally gifted and what bears attention are his statistics towards all-comers.”
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