The former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe has died at the age of 55, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday.
“There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham’s death,” the ECB said in a statement.
“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world.
“His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his team-mates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike.
“Later, as a coach, he guided the best England men’s talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.
“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.”
Thorpe played 100 Tests for England between 1993 and 2005, as well as 82 one-day internationals.
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A stylish left-handed batter, he scored 6,744 Test runs for England, including 16 centuries.
He played a further 189 first-class matches for Surrey and in all scored 49 first-class centuries, averaging 45.04, before his retirement in 2005.
Thorpe’s playing days concluded with a shift to coaching. He began in Australia, nurturing talents like Steve Smith and David Warner at New South Wales. In 2010, he joined the England setup as a batting coach.
Most recently, he served as assistant coach during the disastrous Ashes tour last winter. England’s 4-0 defeat triggered a management overhaul, resulting in Thorpe, head coach Chris Silverwood, and director of cricket Ashley Giles losing their positions as the England and Wales Cricket Board aimed to rebuild its Test team.
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