Follow UsSurrey County Cricket Club (SCCC) will remember and celebrate the life of England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe on Day 2 of the fifth and final Test between India and England at The Oval.
Thorpe passed away in 2024 at the age of 55 after being hit by a train. His wife, Amanda, later confirmed he had taken his own life after battling depression for several years.
"The life of England and Surrey cricketer Graham Thorpe will be remembered and celebrated on Friday, 1 August 2025, during the second day of the final Test Match in the series between England v India," the SCCC said in a statement.
"A Day for Thorpey will be held at the Kia Oval Cricket Ground, London, in support of mental health charity Mind, on what would have been Graham's 56th birthday."
Thorpe scored 6,744 runs for England in 100 Tests at an average of 44.66, including 16 centuries - one of them on debut. He also featured in 82 ODIs, averaging 37.18 with the bat. After retiring from international cricket, he held several coaching and batting consultant roles with teams including England and Surrey.
In 2006, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him the title of Member of the British Empire (MBE).
"A Day for Thorpey will raise money for mental health charity Mind through the sale of a limited-edition headband which resembles what Graham wore when he was batting for England. The headbands have been co-designed with Graham's wife, Amanda and daughters Kitty and Emma," Surrey further added.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, his wife Amanda said, “That day will be very powerful. We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright. He’ll go on.”
Daughter Kitty Thorpe added, "Death and grief in general isn't talked about enough, considering it happens to everyone. It surrounds us. When you add the layer of death by suicide, that makes it even more taboo.
"I understand it's difficult to talk about - people don't want to say the wrong thing. That doesn't help tackle the stigma around it. We need to change the way we're addressing the topic. That's why we're working with Mind to do something to help that."
Emma, Thorpe’s other daughter, said, "My dad was quite a private person, so for us to share his experience with his mental health, and our experience of it, it's important to me that we do that to help other people who have gone through similar things. And to start a conversation there and reduce the shame and the stigma that there is around these conversations."