Legendary England cricketer Graham Thorpe dies aged 55

The cricketing world is in mourning following the death of former England cricketer Graham Thorpe aged 55. Known as one of the greatest English players of his generation, Thorpe played exactly 100 Tests and scored 16 centuries before retiring in 2005. He was also the captain. England on three occasions and held various roles as manager of his country between 2010 and 2022.

Thorpe's death has sent shock waves through the cricketing community. He was more than one of England's best batsmen; he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans around the world. His ability was not in question, and his achievements throughout a 13-year international career brought happiness to his teammates and fans alike. As a manager, he guided England's best talent to incredible victories in all formats of the game.

The former Surrey left-hander made more than 300 appearances in both first-class and List A cricket over a 17-year career. Surrey chair Oli Slipper led the tributes, saying Thorpe was one of Surrey's great sons and his absence would be deeply felt.

Past and present players have also paid tribute to Thorpe, including former England captain Michael Vaughan and current England opener Ben Duckett. They both expressed their deep sadness and sent their thoughts to Thorpe's family.

Thorpe made his first-class debut for Surrey in the summer of 1988 and established himself as a regular in the 1989 season. He made his England debut aged 24, scoring 114 on debut against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993. His unbeaten double hundred against New Zealand in Christchurch in 2002 was one of the highlights of his career.

After retiring from international cricket in 2005, Thorpe began a coaching career in Australia, working with the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner in New South Wales. He later joined the England and Wales Cricket Board as a batting coach. In March 2022, he was appointed the head coach of Afghanistan, but did not take up the position due to health problems. His extraordinary contributions to the sport will always be remembered.