Ex-England batter Thorpe dies

Former England and Surrey batter Graham Thorpe has died aged 55 after battling a "serious illness" since 2022, the country's cricket board announced on Monday.

Considered one of the finest batters of his generation, Thorpe was hospitalised shortly after being named the head coach of Afghanistan in 2022 but the details of his medical condition are not known.

He is survived by his wife Amanda and four children, Henry, Amelia, Kitty and Emma.

"It is with great sadness that the ECB shares the news that Graham Thorpe, MBE, has passed away," ECB said in a statement, without giving the exact cause of his death.

"There seem to be no appropriate words to describe the deep shock we feel at Graham's death. More than one of England's finest ever batters, he was a beloved member of the cricket family and revered by fans all over the world," the statement read.