When Cricket's Golden Boy Couldn't Find His Way Back

By Lewis Barnett 25 July, 2025 5 mins read 204 Views

Christ. Another one gone.

Graham Thorpe – the same bloke who made batting look like poetry back in '93 – died by suicide last August. Today a coroner basically said what we all suspected: the system failed him. Spectacularly.

Hear the Summary

The Verdict That Changes Nothing

Coroner Jonathan Stevens didn't mince words at today's inquest. There were "failings" in Thorpe's care before he walked onto those train tracks on August 4th. The 55-year-old dad had been battling depression and anxiety for years, but apparently nobody thought to check on him properly in his final months.

Stevens couldn't call the failures "gross" – whatever bureaucratic distinction that makes. But he was clear: "In my judgment, there were shortcomings in the care that should have been provided to Graham in the last four months or so of his life."

Four months. Jesus.

That Bloody Video

Here's where it gets messy. Remember that viral footage from Tasmania? The one showing England and Australia players drinking together after England got hammered 4-0 in the Ashes? Yeah, that one destroyed Thorpe's career.

The ECB sacked him over it. Not suspended. Not reprimanded. Sacked.

His wife Amanda told the court something that'll stick with me: "To be sacked after that I think it was foreseeable that it would be really really hard on him." Understatement of teh century, Amanda.

Thorpe ended up in hospital for eight weeks after his first suicide attempt in 2022. He never recovered from it, according to Amanda. Never.

The System That Wasn't There

Dr Amirthalingam Baheerathan was Thorpe's psychiatrist. Last saw him on March 20, 2024. Thorpe died 19 weeks later.

Nineteen. Weeks.

In June, Thorpe told care coordinator Katie Johnson he "hadn't been out for a while" and "didn't see the point of being here." But apparently he wasn't under "imminent risk." How's that working out for everyone?

Thorpe missed multiple appointments with the mental health team. Nobody seemed particularly bothered by this pattern. I mean, when someone's already tried to kill themselves once and they start ghosting their therapy sessions... maybe that's a red flag? Just thinking out loud here.

Amanda's Impossible Choice

The most heartbreaking part? Thorpe begged his wife to help him die. Actually asked her to take him to Switzerland for assisted suicide.

"I was in turmoil," Amanda said. Can you imagine? Your husband – the father of your children – asking you to help end his life because he can't see any other way out.

By June 2024, Thorpe had lost interest in food, wanted to "hide away, totally isolated, in real crisis and despair." On August 4th, Amanda thought he'd gone to walk the dog. The dog was still at home.

Then came the call from Thorpe's dad: "He's gone."

What We Lost

People forget how good Thorpe was. Made his debut in '93 and scored a century in his first Ashes match – first England player to do that in 20 years. Played 100 Tests, scored 16 hundreds, had a 17-year career with Surrey.

But that's not what matters now, is it?

What matters is that a man who brought joy to millions couldn't find enough for himself. What matters is that the people paid to help him weren't there when he needed them most. What matters is that Amanda has to live with his final request echoing in her head.

The coroner's verdict changes nothing. Graham's still gone. The system that failed him is still broken. And somewhere, another former athlete is struggling in silence, hoping someone gives a damn before it's too late.

If you're struggling, call the Samaritans on 116123. They're free, they're there, and unlike some professional services, they actually answer.

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External Links

How To

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