100 tests, 6,744 runs at 44.66, 16 💯 These stats indicate a very good batsman, albeit not an all time great, but surely someone who would find a place in any XI in the history. However, numbers tell only a part of Graham Thorpe’s story. They don’t tell us that he kept a shaky English lineup afloat in an era muddled with selection blunders. They don’t tell us how important he’s for the team’s cause. They don’t tell us how big a match winner he was. He debuted in 1993 Ashes series at home, a series when England were steamrolled 4-1 by Australia. It was when England first saw Warnie. Over the next 15 years, Warnie had a hold over the old enemy unlike anything seen in the history. Before every ashes series against Warnie, the only question was the loss margin of England. We pondered if England would lose 3-1 or 4-0. A series loss was a given. Thorpe played his entire cricket in this era against a great Australia team led by McGrath and Warne. In a time when his peers averaged in 20s and early 30s vs Australia, he averaged 46. He started with a magnificent 114* at Nottingham in 1993, kept Warnie at bay and helped Gooch eke out a respectable draw in a 4-0 hammering. He scored 3 fine Ashes 💯, played in 5 Ashes series (just one test each in his final two Ashes) and always ended on the losing side. He averaged 46 in his debut series and made 3,000+ runs in last 40 tests at 55. He averaged 45 at home and 44 away. He made his runs at a stupendous 63 in 38 out his 100 tests that England won. His bat decided the English fortunes. He retired just before the iconic 2005 Ashes when England reclaimed the urn after 18 long years. He never won an Ashes series but his audacious batting made him an English folk hero, a veritable legend from the dark ages of English cricket. However, his greatest performances came in the winter of 2001 when he led the batting in an underdog side in back to back series wins in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It was his annus mirabilis. These two low profile series, away from the limelight, saw Graham Thorpe at his best. RIP, champion. Your legion of English fans will never forget your heroics.