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England Honours Graham Thorpe On Emotional 'A Day for Thorpey' At The Oval

Soumyajit Dutta

Oval honours Graham Thorpe on August 1 [Source: @88Brooky/X.com]Oval honours Graham Thorpe on August 1 [Source: @88Brooky/X.com]

The cricketing world comes together to celebrate the life of Graham Thorpe during the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, marking what would have been the former England batter’s 56th birthday.

Thorpe, one of England’s finest middle-order batters, tragically took his own life on August 4, 2024, after a long battle with depression and anxiety. His family, wife Amanda and daughters Kitty and Emma, led tributes on August 1, the second day of the Test, designated as 'A Day for Thorpey', raising funds for mental health charity Mind.

Family's Tribute To Raise Funds On Day 2 At The Oval

Amanda Thorpe, Graham's reflected on the emotional significance of the occasion, "That day will be very powerful. We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright," Amanda told BBC. 

Notably, a mural at The Oval, where Thorpe played for Surrey from 1988 to 2005, stands as a permanent tribute to the cricketer, who scored 6,744 Test runs and earned 100 Test caps for England. 

His family has also launched specially designed headbands, with proceeds going to Mind, while the charity’s 'Bat and Chat' mental health sessions will be renamed 'Thorpey’s Bat and Chat' in his honour. Joe Root and Ben Stokes were seen wearing the headbands to honour the English legend.

Thorpe's Career Cut Short, The Struggle Unseen

Thorpe’s coaching career included stints with England, Surrey, and Afghanistan, but his mental health deteriorated during the 2021-22 Ashes in Australia, played under strict COVID-19 restrictions. After being let go following the 4-0 series loss, he was named Afghanistan’s head coach in March 2022, but his struggles deepened.

Kitty Thorpe shared heartbreaking details of his decline, "Over the years it worsened, until he couldn’t get out of bed. What started as a mental illness turned into a physical illness. Over two years, he aged about 15 years." Amanda, still grappling with the loss, emphasised the silent nature of mental health battles, "I still don’t really understand it. How did it happen to Graham? But it can happen to anyone."

As England and India compete in a high-stakes Test, the cricketing fraternity paused to remember Thorpe, not just for his elegant cover drives and gritty innings, but for the man whose legacy now extends beyond the boundary, into mental health advocacy.

The tribute at The Oval ensures that while Graham Thorpe may be gone, his impact on the game and the conversation around mental health will never be forgotten.