New Delhi: Cricket fans in England woke up to the sad news of the demise of former English batter Graham Thorpe. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the news of Thorpe’s untimely death via an official release. He was 55 and had been suffering from an illness for some years.
In a career lasting 13 years between 1993 and 2005, Thorpe played 100 Tests for England, as well as 82 one-day internationals.
Thorpe, who was known for flair and flamboyance, amassed 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries, at an average of 44.66.
In ODIs, Thorpe scored 2380 runs at an average of 37.18 with 21 fifties. He appeared at two World Cups – 1996 and 1999 editions.
His record for Surrey was even better. Between 1988 and 2005, Thorpe scored almost 20,000 runs for the county side.
ECB mourn the loss of one of England’s finest batters
“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the ECB said in a statement.
It is with great sadness that we share 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. pic.twitter.com/VMXqxVJJCh
— England and Wales Cricket Board (@ECB_cricket) August 5, 2024
England’s Test skipper Ben Stokes reacted on social media with a picture of himself wearing Thorpes’s jersey.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/NeaX5dDwzg
— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) August 5, 2024
After retiring from cricket, Thorpe joined hands with the ECB to serve the England cricket setup as a coach for the majority of the 2010s. He was the batting coach of the English team that won the 2019 World Cup on home soil in dramatic circumstances.
His most recent coaching job was as England’s assistant coach up until the 2021/22 Ashes tour of Australia.
He was subsequently appointed as Afghanistan’s head coach in March 2022, but couldn’t take up the role due to his illness.
Graham Thorpe amassed 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries, at an average of 44.66. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
