Graham Thorpe

Graham Paul Thorpe (1 August 1969 – 4 August 2024) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Surrey and represented England in 100 Test matches. He also played 82 One Day Internationals (ODIs) including appearances at the 1996 and 1999 World Cups and deputised as captain on three occasions.

A left-handed middle-order batsman, Thorpe made his first-class debut for Surrey in 1988, becoming a regular in their side the following season. Following four winters of England A tours he made his full international debut in 1993, scoring a century on his Test debut against Australia. He was briefly dropped in 1994 but became an England regular through consistent scoring, although he struggled for a time to convert half-centuries into three-figure scores. After beginning 1997 with back-to-back centuries he was England's leading scorer and player of the Ashes series, which led to his selection as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year. After 10 seasons of touring he opted out of the South Africa series at the turn of the millennium, before returning refreshed to play some of his best cricket as England won a subcontinent series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in 2000–01.

In early 2002, Thorpe scored the then third fastest double century in Test history as he made his highest Test score of 200 not out against New Zealand. The innings came at a time when his marriage was breaking down, and this led him to first retire from ODIs before taking a break from cricket entirely. He returned for England after over a year out, scoring a century at his home ground, The Oval. He was a member of the England side that won a national record eight successive Tests in 2004, and the following year made his 100th Test appearance. Thorpe retired from playing in 2005 after non-selection for the Ashes and took up coaching positions with New South Wales, Surrey and England. He died by suicide in August 2024, aged 55.

Early life

Graham Thorpe was born in Farnham on 1 August 1969, the third of three boys to Geoff and Toni Thorpe. Graham's brothers are Ian, four years older, and Alan, two years older. Geoff Thorpe worked as a draughtsman and then as an engineering surveyor.

Thorpe first played men's cricket for village team Wrecclesham aged 13, moving on to play alongside his brothers at Farnham in the Surrey Championship. The whole family had a long association with the club, Ian and Alan would go on to be captain while Geoff served as chairman and Toni acted as scorer.

Thorpe was also a promising footballer: he represented England Schools at under-18 level as a midfielder and had a trial at Brentford. He was educated at Weydon School and Farnham College, but did not complete his A-Levels and was unsure what he would do for a career until offered a two-year contract by Surrey.

Cricket career

Early career

Thorpe made his first-class debut aged 18 for Surrey against Leicestershire in June 1988. Batting at number eight he made scores of 15 and 16 and also claimed two wickets, his first wicket being that of David Gower lbw. Just a few days later Thorpe scored his maiden first-class century against Cambridge University, his unbeaten century taking 122 minutes. He made two further first-team appearances that season, scoring 19 against Derbyshire in the County Championship and 15 on his List A debut against Glamorgan. He established himself in the Surrey team in 1989, scoring his maiden Championship century at Basingstoke against a Hampshire attack featuring Malcolm Marshall. He surpassed 1,000 runs for the season at an average of 45, which led to selection for England A on their tour of Zimbabwe in 1989–90. He would go on three further tours with England A.

The 1990 season broke records for high scoring, however Thorpe struggled with an average of 27 and made just three half-centuries from 18 matches, he ended the campaign playing for the second XI. The following season was more successful, he scored his maiden List A century against Lancashire when opening the batting. Towards the end of the season he had a spell of three centuries in five County Championship innings. He also top scored with 93 in the Natwest Trophy final although Surrey lost by four wickets to Hampshire. He was awarded his county cap on 12 September 1991.

Thorpe had his most productive season of his career in 1992, amassing 1,895 runs at an average of 51.21. He was a consistent scorer recording fifties in the County Championship 13 times before finally passing three figures on 31 August. He converted the innings against Somerset into a maiden double century and shared in a stand of 211 from 34 overs with Ali Brown.

1993

In May 1993, Thorpe received his first senior international call-up as part of a 13-man squad for the Texaco Trophy, a three-match ODI series against the touring Australians. On 19 May, he made his ODI debut at Old Trafford in the first match of the series. During Australia's innings he took a catch off the bowling of fellow ODI debutant Andy Caddick and in England's run chase Thorpe, batting at number 6, made 31 in a four-run defeat, Wisden considered it "an intelligent innings in difficult circumstances". He added scores of 36 and 22 in the rest of the series. In Australia's tour match with Surrey which followed, Thorpe took his career best bowling figures of 4/40.

Thorpe was not selected for the first two Ashes Tests but the selectors made wholesale changes after an innings defeat in the second Test at Lord's including calling up Thorpe despite him being viewed as 'out of form' with a season average of 25. On 1 July, Thorpe made his Test debut against Australia at Trent Bridge alongside three other debutants (Mark Ilott, Martin McCague and Mark Lathwell). Thorpe scored 6 in the first innings before being caught at gully off a short ball from Merv Hughes. In England's second innings, Thorpe came to the wicket at 159/5 and shared in a 150-run sixth wicket partnership with captain Graham Gooch, Thorpe ended the fourth day on 88 not out and completed his century on the final morning, finishing unbeaten on 114 as Gooch declared. The Test match was drawn with Thorpe named as man of the match. By scoring a century on Test debut he became the 14th England player to achieve the feat and the first since Frank Hayes in 1973. Thorpe made a half-century in the fifth Test at Edgbaston but missed the final Test at The Oval after breaking his left thumb in a net session on the first morning of the match. He ended the series with an average of 46 and was one of only two England players to reach a hundred in the series, his partnership with Gooch at Trent Bridge was England's longest of the series.

1994

Thorpe was selected for England's tour of the West Indies in early 1994 and played all five Tests. He top-scored in the third Test at Queen's Park Oval with 86 before England collapsed to 46 all out in their second innings. In the fourth Test at Kensington Oval he scored 84, adding 150 in partnership with Surrey team-mate Alec Stewart, as England won their only Test of the tour. Thorpe averaged 26.55 across the series, with Wisden assessing: "Among the fringe batsmen Graham Thorpe made much the most progress, though he, too, had to cure technical problems before batting with authority late in the tour."

Thorpe was dropped for the home series with New Zealand in 1994, new chairman of selectors Ray Illingworth made wholesale changes with only six of the West Indies touring squad retained and opted for just five specialist batsmen with a five-man bowling attack including all-rounder Craig White. While back playing for Surrey, Thorpe made the highest List A score of his career against Lancashire in the NatWest Trophy, the innings of 145 not out coming from 135 deliveries. He shared a 180-run partnership with David Ward which set a county record for the competition and Surrey's total of 343 was also their highest in one-day cricket at the time.

Later that summer Thorpe was recalled by England for the second Test of the series against South Africa at Headingley, taking the place of an injured White. Thorpe, batting at number four, scored 72 from 112 balls including 13 boundaries during England's first innings, Wisden picked out "his urgency, instinctive placement and crisp driving". He added 73 in the second innings and 79 in the final Test at The Oval to end the series with an average of 79.66. In his series summary, Scyld Berry praised Thorpe's attacking play for enlivening England who prior to his introduction had taken a defensive approach to their batting. In the ODI series with South Africa that followed the Tests, Thorpe scored his maiden ODI half-century.