Return from purgatory
After a winter of purgatory, Graham Thorpe is on the comeback trail, making regular runs in the County Championship, and inching ever closer to an England recall
The CricInfo Interview by Andrew Miller
14-Aug-2003
After a winter of purgatory, Graham Thorpe is on the comeback trail, making regular runs in the County Championship, and inching ever closer to an England recall. Wisden CricInfo caught up with him, shortly after he had been dismissed for 99 in Surrey's championship match against Nottinghamshire at Croydon.
Hard luck today, Graham, but with that sort of performance, it's only a matter of time before you're back in the England set-up.
As far as my England place is concerned, I'd like to think I've been there or thereabouts all season. I've been a little unfortunate with injuries - I've had a back problem for a couple of weeks, and that flared up three or four days ago just as they were picking the Trent Bridge squad - but as long as I keep scoring runs for my county, I'll keep myself hovering at the door.
As far as my England place is concerned, I'd like to think I've been there or thereabouts all season. I've been a little unfortunate with injuries - I've had a back problem for a couple of weeks, and that flared up three or four days ago just as they were picking the Trent Bridge squad - but as long as I keep scoring runs for my county, I'll keep myself hovering at the door.
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Graham Thorpe contemplates the future |
You look like a man who's enjoying his cricket again.
Yeah, definitely. My first task this season was to get back in tune mentally, and once that was sorted, the technical side of my game would hopefully fall into place. I hadn't played any form of cricket for eight months, so really all my energies were concentrated on the domestic game. I'll come to international cricket as and when.
Last winter, you must have suffered a terrible division of loyalties - Ashes or family. Do you think you made the right decision?
We'll see. From my own perspective, what happened to me last year was not a cricket issue but a life issue. I had a hell of a lot to come to terms with, and at the end of the day I was unable to focus on club cricket, let alone first-class or international. Whether right or wrong, it certainly wasn't a difficult decision to make. But on a personal note, things have since happened off the field which have brought some stability back to my life.
We'll see. From my own perspective, what happened to me last year was not a cricket issue but a life issue. I had a hell of a lot to come to terms with, and at the end of the day I was unable to focus on club cricket, let alone first-class or international. Whether right or wrong, it certainly wasn't a difficult decision to make. But on a personal note, things have since happened off the field which have brought some stability back to my life.
Do you think there are still one or two suspicions about your long-term commitment to England?
I really hope not. I've committed a decade of my life to Test cricket, and anyone with a sensible brain will understand that what happened to me this year was beyond my control. Every move I had to make was made in haste, and I was confused, with no clear understanding of the right thing to do. I guess that's the price you pay for having a life that's played out in front of the media.
I really hope not. I've committed a decade of my life to Test cricket, and anyone with a sensible brain will understand that what happened to me this year was beyond my control. Every move I had to make was made in haste, and I was confused, with no clear understanding of the right thing to do. I guess that's the price you pay for having a life that's played out in front of the media.
I went on three or four A tours from the age of 19, then moved onto the full England team, so that's 14 years of representative cricket under my belt. My commitment to England is there in fact. I must just add - when you go on tours, things happen. When you're abroad, there are bound to be distractions off the field. We're only human. We're not robots.
If and when you return, it'll be a much-changed side. Were you shocked by Nasser Hussain's resignation?
Well, I'd been out of the scene all winter, so I don't know the full tale, but clearly Nasser realised what was the right thing for him. He's been a good leader for England, and served his country well in some tough times. When he and Duncan Fletcher took over, England was a struggling and disjointed side, with no clear direction. He turned that around, but now it seems he feels the time is right for a change.
Well, I'd been out of the scene all winter, so I don't know the full tale, but clearly Nasser realised what was the right thing for him. He's been a good leader for England, and served his country well in some tough times. When he and Duncan Fletcher took over, England was a struggling and disjointed side, with no clear direction. He turned that around, but now it seems he feels the time is right for a change.
It's been implied that Michael Vaughan is wary of having too many of the old guard in his side ...
I'm sure that Michael will be of the opinion that if you're good enough, age should be no stumbling block. Of course he'll have one eye on the future - new captains tend to be like that - but you only have to look at the example of Alec Stewart, a great England player all through his thirties and even into his forties.
I'm sure that Michael will be of the opinion that if you're good enough, age should be no stumbling block. Of course he'll have one eye on the future - new captains tend to be like that - but you only have to look at the example of Alec Stewart, a great England player all through his thirties and even into his forties.
And there is also the example of Graham Gooch, who opted out of an Ashes tour and eventually returned an even better player. Do you have the drive to emulate him?
That option is available. But then again, no matter how focused you are, you can't play on indefinitely if your body won't stand up to it. I mean, this season, I was all set, and then I suffered my back spasm. It's a reminder that age catches up with us all. But on the other side of the coin, you can't worry about such misfortunes. There's no point in dwelling. Life moves on.
That option is available. But then again, no matter how focused you are, you can't play on indefinitely if your body won't stand up to it. I mean, this season, I was all set, and then I suffered my back spasm. It's a reminder that age catches up with us all. But on the other side of the coin, you can't worry about such misfortunes. There's no point in dwelling. Life moves on.
This winter, there's the prospect of a return to Sri Lanka, the scene of what many would suggest was your finest hour, in 2000-01
I have fantastic memories of that whole Asia trip, not just Sri Lanka, and if I get back into the team, it would be wonderful. The Caribbean [in March] is enticing as well. I have fond memories of my two previous tours, where the cricket is always competitive and the population are so enthusiastic. But it's pretty much fingers crossed until then.
I have fantastic memories of that whole Asia trip, not just Sri Lanka, and if I get back into the team, it would be wonderful. The Caribbean [in March] is enticing as well. I have fond memories of my two previous tours, where the cricket is always competitive and the population are so enthusiastic. But it's pretty much fingers crossed until then.
What ambitions do you still harbour? It was suggested in Wisden Cricket Monthly recently, that you could be a key player in England's bid to be the best in the world by 2007.
I'm not looking that far ahead. At the moment I'm taking my cricket week by week. Maybe once upon a time I was, like, "I wanna do this, I wanna do that", but I view things differently now. These days, my only ambition is to stay fit, get runs on the board for my county, and hope that the selectors put their faith in me again.
I'm not looking that far ahead. At the moment I'm taking my cricket week by week. Maybe once upon a time I was, like, "I wanna do this, I wanna do that", but I view things differently now. These days, my only ambition is to stay fit, get runs on the board for my county, and hope that the selectors put their faith in me again.