The former England cricketer and coach Graham Thorpe is seriously ill in hospital, according to a statement issued by the Professional Cricketers' Association at the request of his family, with his prognosis described as "unclear at this stage".
“Graham Thorpe has recently fallen seriously ill and is currently in hospital receiving treatment,” the statement read. “His prognosis is unclear at this stage and we ask for privacy for him and his family at this time. Our thoughts are with Graham and his family.”
The 52-year-old, a left-handed batter who became one of the finest English players of his generation, played 100 Tests and 82 one-day internationals during a 12-year international career, before retiring in 2005. He played a further 189 first-class matches for Surrey and in all scored 49 first-class centuries and averaged 45.04.
“The thoughts of everyone at the club are with Graham, his wife Amanda, and family at this time,” his former county said in a statement. “He is an icon of the English game, known by millions of cricket fans and forever a favourite son of Surrey CCC.”
After the end of his playing career Thorpe moved into coaching, starting in Australia where he worked with the likes of Steve Smith and David Warner at New South Wales, before joining England, initially as a batting coach. He had most recently been assistant coach on last winter's Ashes tour, which ended in a 4-0 defeat.
At the end of that tour Thorpe, along with the head coach, Chris Silverwood, and the director of cricket, Ashley Giles, was sacked as the England and Wales Cricket Board set their sights on a "red-ball reset". In March he was named head coach of Afghanistan's men's team, and was due to take charge of them for the first time in Zimbabwe in June. – Guardian
