Former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain fought back tears as he paid tribute to the late Graham Thorpe.
The ex-Surrey and England batsman took his own life, his wife Amanda Thorpe revealed, and was struck by a train at a railway station in Surrey, the opening of an inquest into his death heard. The 55-year-old's passing was announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board on August 5th.
The left-handed batter was regarded as one of the best players of his generation and enjoyed as 12-year career in which he played 100 test matches. Thorpe recorded an impressive 44.66 average for England with a top score of 200 not out.
Hussain was a longtime teammate of Thorpe and also captained his friend on the international stage. Ahead of England Test match with Sri Lanka in Manchester, the 56-year-old was afforded some time to pay tribute to Thorpe as both a player a friend.
The commentor provided a touching account of their relationship and Hussain saw his voice waiver as he reflected on the dark moments where Thorpe had helped him.
"He was one of my best mates. He was such a good guy, such good fun, such good company, he was my sort of guy.
"He would never say anything in a team environment. He didn't have to walk into a room and tell you how good of a player he was, you just knew how good a player he was.
"My special memories come away from team meetings and in his room or in my room fiddling with bat handles and comparing bats. I look back at that now and it was less about the bats and bat handles and actually about coping with being an international cricketer and the pressures that go and getting yourself ready and getting your mind ready for the next day.
"He was always there for me in my darkest moments and that is probably what I feel the saddest about now. I wasn't there for him right at the end in his darkest moments. When you doubt yourself as a player or a captain, you used to walk into his room and he used to put everything into perspective. He was just a really good guy and great, great player. I can't tell you how much of a great player he was.
"Not just great 44 average 45s, 100 Test matches. When we needed him, when we were 30-2, which we often were with Atherton at the top of the order, you would send him out that door and he'd arrive in the middle with that steely eye you talk about. You could look in his eyes and know this bloke was up for a fight.
"That's all people turning up here at Test matches want from their England cricketer. They want the talent, that should be a given but what they want is you to make the most of that talent and to show some real fight and character.
"This little man, I called him the Little Genius because that's what he did day in day out. Rocked up and showed a lot of fight and character. That's why we as teammates, and fans and everyone that knew Graham and his family, that's why we loved him because he was full of fight and character and he was a full of fun.
"I cannot tell you how much fun he was."
2024-08-21T10:37:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd