Graham Thorpe’s household have mentioned the previous England batter took his personal life after struggling with melancholy and anxiousness.

Thorpe’s dying on the age of 55 was introduced final week. One in all 17 males to play 100 Assessments for England, the left-hander represented his nation from 1993 to 2005 and hit 16 Take a look at centuries. As a coach with the England and Wales Cricket Board in his post-playing profession he was a part of the backroom employees when the lads’s aspect gained the 2019 World Cup.

Thorpe was named head coach of Afghanistan in March 2022 however in Could that 12 months it was introduced that he was “significantly unwell” in hospital. In an interview along with his former teammate Michael Atherton within the Instances, Amanda, Thorpe’s spouse, revealed he had tried to take his personal life, prompting “a protracted keep in an intensive care unit”.

She mentioned: “Regardless of glimpses of hope and of the previous Graham, he continued to endure from melancholy and anxiousness, which at occasions received very extreme. We supported him as a household and he tried many, many therapies however sadly none of them actually appeared to work.

“He was so unwell in latest occasions and he actually did imagine that we’d be higher off with out him and we’re devastated that he acted on that and took his personal life.”

“We aren’t ashamed of speaking about it,” mentioned Thorpe’s daughter Kitty. “There’s nothing to cover and it’s not a stigma. We had been attempting to assist him get higher earlier than and attempting to guard him, which is why we mentioned nothing. That is the time now to share the information, nonetheless horrible it’s. We’ve needed to have the ability to discuss and share and we’d now like to lift consciousness, too.

“He had beloved life and he beloved us however he simply couldn’t see a method out. It was heartbreaking to see how withdrawn he had develop into. He was not the identical individual. It was unusual to see this individual trapped within the physique of Dad. That’s why we’ve been so comfortable that the numerous reflections have been about his life earlier than this sickness took over. I’m glad that’s how everybody does bear in mind him, rightly so, as the whole character he was.”

Thorpe’s dying has been met by tributes from former teammates, opponents in addition to present England internationals. Wasim Akram, arguably the best left-arm quick bowler of all time, wrote: “He was a gentleman to the core, a really genuinely sincere, passionate man and the very best left-handed batter I bowled to.”

A minute’s silence was held final week in Thorpe’s honour on the Oval – the place the previous Surrey batter started and ended his 17-year first-class profession – earlier than a males’s Hundred match between Oval Invincibles and Southern Courageous.

Ben Stokes, the England Take a look at captain, wore a shirt with Thorpe’s title and Take a look at cap quantity, 564, on the toss for the primary Take a look at in opposition to New Zealand at Lord’s two years in the past after Thorpe’s sickness was introduced.

“Nice man, nice loss to the cricket world, to his mates, his household, a really unhappy day once I received advised the information,” Stokes advised Sky Sports activities final week.

“He was my first batting coach once I received into the England setup with the England Lions. Spent a whole lot of time with him within the Take a look at staff as a batting coach. I discovered quite a bit from Thorpey, received to know him as an individual and only a nice, nice man. Had some unbelievable recollections with him, unbelievable quantity of snickers, and he’s going to be very sadly missed.”

• Within the UK and Eire, Samaritans could be contacted on freephone 116 123, or e mail jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. Within the US, you may name or textual content the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or textual content HOME to 741741 to attach with a disaster counsellor. In Australia, the disaster assist service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Different worldwide helplines could be discovered at befrienders.org