Name:

Thorpe, Graham P

Nickname:

Thorpey

Date of Birth:

01 Aug 1969

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

Farnham

Date Died:

04 Aug 2024

Career:

Test: 1993 - 2005
ODI: 1993 - 2002
First Class: 1988 - 2005

Teams:

Surrey (Regional)
England (Country)

England level series as Stewart retires: 5th Test (Oval)

Graham Thorpe: Fine left handed batsman, gritty fighter 

Born on August 1, 1969 in Farnham, Thorpe was ahead of his years on a cricket pitch and remembered being drafted by local side Wrecclesham’s Under-17s while still only eight years old. He turned out to be gritty left hand batsman who made his first class debut for Surrey.

Thorpe made his Test debut at Trent Bridge in the third match of the 1993 Ashes series. He struck an undefeated 114 in the second innings to become England’s first debutant centurion since Frank Hayes 20 years earlier.

He scored 200 not out, his highest Test score, from 231 balls against New Zealand in 2002.

During an era of English cricket that is most often remembered for its lean years, Thorpe established himself as a player with the class and calibre to stand above the crowd during the 1990s.

Thorpe retired in 2005. He made 100 Test appearances, scoring 6,744 runs at an average of 44.66.

Thorpe was awarded an MBE in 2006 and post-playing turned his expert eye to coaching. As a coach with the England and Wales Cricket Board in his post-playing career he was part of the backroom staff when England won the 2019 World Cup.

Thorpe took his own life on 4th Aug 2024 after suffering with depression and anxiety.