The widow of former England batsman Graham Thorpe has claimed her late husband would still be alive today if he had received stronger support from England cricket authorities following his sacking as assistant coach.
Thorpe died by suicide last Augustjust two and a half years after he was sacked by the ECB. Speaking to TalkSPORT, his wife Amanda said the loss of his coaching role had left him feeling isolated and devastated, believing he had been cut off from the sport that had shaped his entire life.
Coroner Jonathan Stevens concluded that the termination of Thorpe’s contract had a “devastating effect” on him, noting that Thorpe felt he had “lost his cricketing family”. Amanda believes that more sustained intervention by the people in the game could have prevented his death.
“It’s really clear to me that he would still be alive if he had just a little bit more of a support framework to lean on during that transition. It would have made a big difference,” she said.
One of England’s most technically gifted batsmen and later a respected coach, Thorpe joined the ECB team in 2009 and served as an assistant coach and batting specialist. However, he was released in 2022 after England’s heavy Ashes defeat in Australia.
During that tour, a video of Thorpe joking with police officers who intervened at a night-time gathering of players and staff during the COVID-19 restrictions was leaked online, prompting an ECB investigation. His departure followed soon after.
After his sacking, the ECB held 10 online counseling sessions and extended his health insurance by three months. They also funded a four-week stay in a rehabilitation hospital after a failed suicide attempt in May 2022 and later offered him a role as a scout.
However, Amanda described the level of support as “pathetic”.
“We were really asking for help. I knew she needed more than that. And it wasn’t coming,” she said. “As he went through these sessions, it was clear he wasn’t coping. He was getting worse and worse.”
She added that by the time the ECB offered him the post later that year, Thorpe’s health had deteriorated significantly.
“It was too late. He was very ill after the May crisis,” she said. “He almost lost his life. He had a stroke. We don’t know how it affected his brain. The ECB could say they didn’t know how sick he was, but the doctors knew. There has to be some connection.”
In the statement, an An ECB spokesman paid tribute to Thorpedescribing him as a “deeply admired and much loved man”.
“His loss has been deeply felt across the cricket community and beyond. Our thoughts and sincere sympathies remain with Amanda, his children and all who loved him.”
“Graham’s death is a heartbreaking reminder of the mental health issues many people face. His death was investigated by a coroner with the full support of the ECB. We have met with Amanda to discuss her concerns and remain in regular contact with her and extended family.”
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
November 25, 2025
