Graham Thorpe's widow has accused the England and Wales Cricket Board of providing "woeful" support following her husband's dismissal as assistant coach, claiming he would still be alive if the organisation had offered better help during his mental health crisis.
Amanda Thorpe made the damning assessment in an interview with TalkSport, two-and-a-half years after the former England cricketer was sacked following a disastrous 4-0 Ashes series defeat. Graham Thorpe died by suicide in August 2024 at age 55.
«If the entire rug of his cricketing career had not been pulled from under him so completely … it is really clear to me that he would still be alive, so it would have made all the difference,» Amanda told TalkSport's Head Before Wicket podcast.
'He was getting worse'
Amanda criticised the ECB's support system, describing it as «woeful» and insufficient for someone struggling with severe mental health issues. The board provided ten online counselling sessions, but Amanda said these were inadequate.
«As he went through these sessions, it was clear that he wasn't coping. He was getting worse,» she told TalkSport. «We really did ask for help. I knew he needed more help than that and it wasn't forthcoming.»
She emphasised the devastating impact of losing his role: «It is hindsight – and no one has got a crystal ball – but it was just too much – the cliff, the whole mental breakdown of 'I am no longer in that family'. If he had 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.»
Coroner identified care failings
An inquest in July 2025 at Surrey coroner's court in Woking concluded that Thorpe died by suicide. Coroner Jonathan Stevens identified «failings» in care provided by health professionals before his death and determined the sacking had a «devastating effect» on him as he had «lost his cricket family».
The coroner noted Thorpe had «spiralled into depression» after losing his batting coach job in 2022. The inquest heard the ECB had «funded treatment, hospital stays and extended his health treatment insurance» after Thorpe's February 2022 departure.
Thorpe had undergone therapy for 18 months before leaving the ECB. Three months after his dismissal in May 2022, he attempted suicide and suffered brain injuries that required two weeks in intensive care.
Ashes tour incident
Thorpe's dismissal followed England's crushing Ashes defeat in Australia and an incident in Hobart where he smoked a cigar inside premises during a drinking session that lasted until 6am. Tasmanian police spoke to five Ashes stars about the incident.
An ECB investigation in January 2022 was prompted by footage, recorded by Thorpe, showing police addressing players about being intoxicated. The footage later appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald.
Amanda told TalkSport: «Graham was really teetering on the edge on that tour and was absolutely gutted by what happened. He went round on the flight back and apologised personally to every person on that tour.»
ECB response
The ECB, contacted for comment, had previously issued a statement to The Sun describing Thorpe as «a deeply admired and much-loved person. 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.»
The ECB spokesperson acknowledged Graham's passing is «a heart-breaking reminder of the challenges many face with mental health» and confirmed full support for the inquest and ongoing contact with Amanda and the wider family.
Thorpe, a respected batter of his generation, served as England's assistant coach until 2021. He married Amanda in 2007 and is survived by his four children: Henry, Amelia, Kitty, and Emma.
**Support is available**: In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or via www.samaritans.org. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 988. In Australia, Lifeline is 13 11 14. International helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
