The England Cricket Team will don black armbands in tribute to the late Graham Thorpe during the first Test of their three-match series against Sri Lanka, set to take place at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting August 21st.
Graham Thorpe, a former England batter and long-serving coach, tragically passed away on August 4th at the age of 55. It was reported that Thorpe had been battling severe depression and anxiety before taking his own life. Throughout his illustrious career, he scored over 9000 international runs across 182 matches for England.
Thorpe was not only a pivotal figure on the field but also off it, serving as one of England’s most respected coaches. He played a significant role in the development of players like Joe Root and Ollie Pope, both of whom will participate in the upcoming Test against Sri Lanka.
Speaking to ESPNCricinfo ahead of the match, England’s stand-in skipper Ollie Pope shared his sentiments:
“We’ll have our black armbands on throughout the course of the game and there’ll be a tribute to him before. It’s hurt a lot of people in that changing room. He was a great man. I probably had two or three years playing with him as a batting coach. I really admired him.”
Pope also reflected on Thorpe’s influence, adding:
“I remember him saying one thing to me, which was: ‘Never let the runs you’re scoring define you as a person’. In a bit of a rut when you’re young, that was exactly what I needed to hear. It shows, for me, what a people’s person he was.”
Thorpe’s impact extended far beyond his on-field performances. As a player, he was one of England’s finest middle-order batters, amassing 6744 runs in 100 Tests at an impressive average of 44.66. In his 82 ODIs, he scored 2380 runs, including 21 half-centuries.
Following his retirement, Thorpe transitioned into coaching, joining England’s coaching staff in 2013. He was instrumental in England’s triumph at the 2019 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup. In 2022, he was appointed as the Head Coach of Afghanistan but had to decline the role due to illness.
As England take the field in Manchester, they will not only be competing for a win but also paying homage to a man who gave so much to English cricket, both as a player and as a mentor.
