Graham Thorpe’s family believe the former England batter would be alive today had the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offered firmer support after he was sacked as national batting coach.
Thorpe, a mainstay of England’s middle order through the 1990s and early 2000s, died by suicide in August 2024. Speaking on the Head Before Wicket podcast, his widow Amanda said, “it is really clear [to me] that he would still be alive”. Thorpe had struggled with depression and anxiety since losing his ECB role in the aftermath of the 4-0 Ashes defeat in Australia.
Key events in brief
• Thorpe dismissed as batting coach following 2021-22 Ashes
• Ten online counselling sessions funded by ECB
• Failed suicide attempt in 2022 left him severely unwell
• Took his own life in 2024; coroner later identified healthcare ‘shortcomings’
Amanda Thorpe feels the governing body could have eased the transition out of a job her husband loved. “If he’d had just a little bit of the support framework there to lean on a bit to just transition a bit more, it would have made all the difference,” she said.
That Ashes winter
Covid restrictions made the tour unusually claustrophobic. After the final Test in Hobart, police were called when Thorpe lit a cigar inside the team hotel. Amanda recalls her husband’s distress: he “was really teetering on the edge on that tour” and was “absolutely gutted” by the cigar incident. “He went round on the flight back and apologised personally to every person on that tour,” she added.
Following the series Thorpe, along with head coach Chris Silverwood and director of cricket Ashley Giles, lost his job. Although the ECB kept paying his health-care insurance and covered ten remote therapy sessions, Amanda believes that help fell short. The sessions, she said, were “woeful”.
“As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn’t coping. He was getting worse. We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that. And, it wasn’t forthcoming.”
In 2022 Thorpe attempted to take his own life. He survived but suffered a stroke that, in Amanda’s words, left him “very ill”. “It was too late, basically, after the crisis [in 2022], he was very ill. He nearly lost his life. He had a stroke. We don’t know how that affected his brain after that.”
Medical communication remained patchy, she feels. “The ECB might say, well, we didn’t know how ill he was. Although the doctors he was under did know, but then they sort of said, oh, but there’s confidentiality. There’s got to be some connection [between the ECB and their doctors].”
Coroner’s findings
At the inquest the coroner accepted there were “shortcomings” in healthcare provision but did not criticise the decision to end Thorpe’s employment. The ruling noted the board had “funded treatment, hospital stays and extended his health treatment insurance”.
ECB response
An ECB spokesperson called Thorpe “a deeply admired and much-loved person”. The statement continued: “His loss has been felt deeply across the cricketing community and far beyond, and our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with his wife Amanda, his children, and all those who loved him.
“Graham’s passing is a heart-breaking reminder of the challenges many face with mental health. His death was examined by a coroner; the inquest was held earlier this year with full support from the ECB.
“We have met with Amanda to discuss her concerns and have been in regular contact with her.”
A day for Thorpey
During last summer’s Oval Test against India, the second day was dedicated to Thorpe. Funds raised went to Mind, the mental-health charity, and to projects honouring his contribution to Surrey and England.
Analysis – a tricky handover
Elite sport can be unforgiving when contracts end abruptly. Players and coaches often lose dressing-room camaraderie overnight, and the safety net is inconsistent from one board to another. Ten online counselling sessions over several months may satisfy a policy box-tick, yet mental-health professionals frequently stress that longer-term, in-person care is vital when someone is already “teetering on the edge”.
Former England psychologist Dr Mark Bawden, not involved in this case, explains the challenge: “Moving away from team life is like stepping off a cliff edge. Identity, purpose, routine—all disappear at once.” He argues national boards need clear, proactive after-care, preferably planned before contracts end, rather than reactive support once a crisis has begun.
Where next?
The ECB is reviewing its player-and-staff welfare framework, with former cricketers feeding into the process. Any fresh policy will come too late for Graham Thorpe, but Amanda hopes the lessons spare others. “I just want to make sure no-one else slips through the cracks the way Graham did,” she said quietly after ringing the bell before the day’s play at The Oval.
