Graham Thorpe, the former England and Surrey cricketer, passed away at the age of 55 on August 5. Thorpe had been hospitalised in 2022 due to a severe illness, with an uncertain prognosis at that time. The tragic news was confirmed by Surrey Cricket and the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in an official statement.
Thorpe, a left-handed batter, represented England in 182 matches across Tests and ODIs during his 13-year international career (100 Tests, 82 ODIs). He also served as the batting coach for England's senior men's team.
Thorpe's career began spectacularly with a century on his Ashes debut at Trent Bridge in 1993. Over his career, he scored 16 centuries and accumulated 6,744 runs in Tests, alongside 2,380 runs in ODIs. At the county level, Thorpe was equally remarkable, amassing 21,937 runs for Surrey in First Class cricket, with 49 centuries and an impressive average of 45.04.
Oli Slipper, the Chair of Surrey Cricket Club, paid tribute to Thorpe, stating, "Graham is one of Surrey's greatest and it is profoundly sad that he will not grace the Oval again. He was a Surrey legend and brought immense pride to the Club, representing both the Three Feathers and the Three Lions. His contributions as a cricketer and as a person were outstanding, and he will be deeply missed."
The ECB's statement highlighted Thorpe's impact, saying, "Beyond being one of England's finest-ever batters, he was a cherished member of the cricket community and admired by fans globally. His skill and achievements over a 13-year international career brought immense joy to his teammates and supporters of England and Surrey CCC. As a coach, he later guided top England Men's talent to remarkable victories across all formats of the game."