England to Honour Graham Thorpe

England will honour the memory of Graham Thorpe, who passed away earlier this month, during the first Test of their series against Sri Lanka.

Wednesday's match will be the first that England has played since Thorpe, a former cricketer who represented his country in 100 Test matches between 1993 and 2005 and later served as an assistant coach, tragically took his own life.

Since his passing, heartfelt tributes have flooded in from across the cricketing community, highlighting the profound impact Thorpe had both as a player and as a person.

England plans to commemorate Thorpe's life with several tributes at Old Trafford. Before play begins on the opening day, there will be a moment of silence, and the entire team will wear black armbands in his memory. Additionally, a video tribute may be displayed on the stadium screens as spectators join in paying their respects.

During his 11-year tenure as a coach with the England and Wales Cricket Board, where he worked with both the national team and the Lions, Thorpe had a significant influence on many England batsmen. He was one of the earliest supporters of Joe Root, advocating for Root’s selection for the 2012 tour of India when Root was just 21 years old.

After Thorpe’s passing, Root reflected on the impact Thorpe had on his career, describing him as a hero. Root recalled how Thorpe was versatile both on and off the field, noting that he could handle any bowling attack and pass on his wealth of knowledge through coaching. Root credited Thorpe with giving him a chance to play for the Lions before he had even scored a first-class century, and pushing for his inclusion in the Test squad for the India tour.

Ben Stokes, who also spent considerable time working with Thorpe, expressed his sadness at the loss, calling Thorpe a "great man" whose passing was a significant loss for the cricketing world. Stokes shared that he learned a great deal from Thorpe, both professionally and personally, and cherished the memories and laughs they shared together.

England’s lineup for Wednesday’s match against Sri Lanka will feature four players from Surrey, the club where Thorpe spent his entire first-class career, which spanned from 1988 to 2005.