Graham Thorpe’s widow is of the opinion that he could have survived if he had received more assistance from the England and Wales Cricket Board after stepping down from his coaching position with the organization. Thorpe, a highly regarded batsman of his era and England’s former assistant coach until 2021, tragically took his own life in August last year following a prolonged struggle with anxiety and depression. An inquest held at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking in July 2025 revealed that Thorpe had descended into depression after losing his coaching role in 2022 and had made a previous suicide attempt.
Coroner Jonathan Stevens highlighted deficiencies in the care provided to Thorpe by healthcare professionals leading up to his death, ultimately ruling it as suicide. Thorpe had been undergoing mental health therapy for 18 months before his departure from the ECB. While acknowledging that the organization had supported him by funding treatments, hospital stays, and extending his health insurance coverage post-departure in February 2022, his widow, Amanda, believes that more could have been done to help him feel connected during the transitional period.
Expressing her views on talkSPORT, Amanda Thorpe emphasized that had the abrupt end to his cricketing career not occurred, he might still be alive today. She stressed the importance of having a support system in place during such a challenging transition. Amanda also criticized the remote support provided as inadequate, stating that Thorpe’s condition worsened despite their requests for more assistance.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has been reached out to for a response.
If you are in need of someone to talk to, The Samaritans are available 24/7. You can reach out to them for free by calling 116 123, emailing jo@samaritans.org, or visiting their website to locate the nearest branch. Remember, your well-being matters.