Graham Thorpe, born on August 1, 1969, was a left-handed batsman who represented England in 100 Tests and 82 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Nishad Pai Vaidya picks 13 facts to know about the former England batsman.
Graham Thorpe, born on August 1, 1969, was a left-handed batsman who represented England in 100 Tests and 82 One-Day Internationals (ODIs). Nishad Pai Vaidya picks 13 facts to know about the former England batsman.
1. Cricket takes over from football
As a youngster, Thorpe dabbled in both cricket and football in his young days. He was also picked for England under-18s in football and played a few international games for them. However, he then turned to cricket once Surrey expressed interest in him.
2. Announcing arrival with a century on Test debut
Thorpe made his Test debut at Nottingham during the Ashes 1993. The southpaw marked the occasion with a century in the second innings. His 114 helped England setup a big target for Australia in a drawn game.
3. Only two boundaries in a Test ton
Thorpe once scored a century which featured only two boundaries. His 118 against Pakistan at Lahore in 2000 was a gritty innings and featured only two fours. Later in the series, he scored a crucial fifty as England beat Pakistan in near darkness at Karachi to help England clinch the series.
4. The quick double ton
In the Christchurch Test against New Zealand in 2002, Thorpe smashed 200 not out off only 231 balls, which is one of the quickest double-tons in history. The sparkling knock helped England setup an improbable target of 550. Thorpe’s innings was then overshadowed by Nathan Astle’s 222 off only 168 balls. Astle got to the milestone in only 153 balls, which remains the fastest double in Test history.
5. Refusing to wear the England blazer
Ahead of the 1999 World Cup in England, Thorpe courted controversy when he refused to wear the England blazer while attending functions. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Thorpe said, “The money had been the same for three years. The board did not believe in inflation. During the World Cup we were asked to do things for sponsors when we were being paid a very small amount of money to play the event in our own country. You were concentrating on your cricket and people were wanting you to go to functions. I would say, “I’m exhausted. Do we have to go to another function?” So I took a stance.”
6. Walking off a tour due to personal issues
Thorpe had a very troubled personal life in the later stages of his career, which affected him on the field. On an earlier occasion, he had opted out of a tour to be with his family. In 2001-02, he returned from India to help save his marriage, but to no avail.
7. One-day retirement and break
At the end of the NatWest Series 2002, Thorpe announced his retirement from One-Day Internationals (ODIs) for personal reasons. He featured in the first Test against India that followed, but a terrible outing pushed him to introspection and he took a break from the game.
8. A comeback with a ton
In September 2003, Thorpe was recalled to the England side for the fifth and final Test against South Africa at The Oval. Batting at No. 4, he smashed 124 in the first innings, helping setup victory for England. This helped Thorpe have a longer international career than most people expected.
9. Dropped ahead of the Ashes 2005
In the Test series against Bangladesh before the Ashes 2005, Thorpe featured in his 100th Test and hit 66 not out in the only innings he batted. With the selectors sensing a chance for an Ashes victory, they brought in the youthful Kevin Pietersen in the side ahead of Thorpe and retained Ian Bell. Thus, Thorpe ended his career with exactly 100 Tests and England reaped rewards by drafting in Pietersen.
10. New South Wales call-up and retirement
Thorpe called it a day from First-Class cricket in 2005 but had signed up for New South Wales for the Australian summer in a coaching role. He had also agreed to play if needed, but was not required by the side. Instead, he only managed a solitary appearance for their second XI.
11. Fathers 4 Justice
Having been through his personal problems, Thorpe has been an advocate for a movement called ‘Fathers 4 Justice.’ After his bitter separation with his wife, he wasn’t able to see his children as frequently as he would have liked. Thorpe is thus one of the famous people supporting the movement that speaks up for fathers’ rights.
12. UKIP
Ahead of the 2015 General Elections in Great Britain, it was announced that Thorpe had agreed to vote for the Nigel Farage-led United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). Daily Mail quoted him about the agreement, “It [agreement to vote] was when I had just had a few drinks. So I shall read through all the manifestos before making a decision.”
13. Coaching role
Thorpe had started off his coaching journey in Australia with New South Wales and is now back in England, having looked after the Lions side. He was also appointed the batting coach for England’s ODI side.
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