Graham Thorpe, ex-England cricketer and coach, passes away at 55

Former England cricketer Graham Thorpe passed away on Monday at the age of 55. The news was confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board. Thorpe had represented England in 100 Tests, in which he scored 16 centuries before hanging his boots in 2005.

Thorpe was a middle-order batter and used to operate mostly at the number four or five position. His first Test century was against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993 and his final ton came against the Proteas in Durban 2004.

Thorpe was also an integral part of England's white-ball setup, having represented the Three Lions in 82 ODIs, but couldn't register a ton in this format. He, however, had 21 half-centuries under his name.

ECB released a statement on the same that read: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away. There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death.

“More than one of England’s finest-ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world. His skill was unquestioned, and his abilities and achievements across a 13-year international career brought so much happiness to his teammates and England and Surrey CCC supporters alike. Later, as a coach, he guided the best England Men's talent to some incredible victories across all formats of the game.