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In the opening Test of Sri Lanka‘s three-match-tour of England, Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to bat first at Old Trafford. As play commenced on Day 1, England’s players were seen wearing black armbands in a heartfelt tribute to their former cricketer and coach, Graham Thorpe, who recently passed away. The armbands symbolize the team’s deep respect and remembrance for the late cricketing legend as they honor his memory throughout the match.
England captain Ollie Pope’s perspective
To honor Thorpe’s memory, the England team has earlier announced they will wear black armbands during the first Test against Sri Lanka. In a touching tribute, England’s stand-in captain Ollie Pope confirmed that the team would pay their respects to the late Thorpe with a pre-match ceremony and that the players would continue to wear black armbands throughout the game.
“We’ll have our black armbands on throughout the course of the game, and there will be a tribute to him before. It’s hurt a lot of people in that changing room. He was a great man. I probably had two or three years playing with him as a batting coach. I admired him,” Pope was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Thorpe’s shocking passing has sent ripples of grief through the cricketing community, with many players, coaches, and fans paying their respects to a man who gave so much to the sport. The loss has struck a particularly deep chord within the England team, where Thorpe was a familiar and beloved figure both on and off the field.
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Remarkable career for England
Thorpe was an iconic figure in English cricket, revered for both his contributions as a player and his influence as a coach. As a batter, Thorpe was widely admired for his elegance and reliability at the crease, representing England in 100 Test matches and 82 One Day Internationals. Over his career, he amassed 6,744 Test runs, earning him a reputation as one of England’s finest middle-order players.
Following his playing career, Thorpe transitioned into coaching, where he further cemented his legacy, serving as England’s batting coach and assistant coach, helping shape the next generation of cricketers.
England vs Sri Lanka
England will be without their captain, Ben Stokes, who is currently sidelined due to a hamstring injury. In his absence, Pope will lead the side, with Harry Brook acting as his deputy. England have opted for a pace-heavy attack, featuring four seamers and just one spinner, Shoaib Bashir. With opener Zak Crawley also unavailable due to injury, Dan Lawrence is set to partner with Ben Duckett at the top of the order.
The England team enter the series on the back of a Test series win against the West Indies, and they will be looking to build on that momentum as they aim to climb the World Test Championship standings. Despite their current challenges, the team remains focused on securing a victory, driven by the memory of Thorpe and the inspiration he provided throughout his career.
