Editing Graham Thorpe (section)

===1994===
Thorpe was selected for [[English cricket team in the West Indies in 1993–94|England's tour of the West Indies]] in early 1994 and played all five Tests. He top-scored in the third Test at [[Queen's Park Oval]] with 86 before England collapsed to 46 all out in their second innings.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Indies v England, 3rd Test, Port of Spain, March 25 – 30, 1994 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-west-indies-1993-94-61748/west-indies-vs-england-3rd-test-63639/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref> In the fourth Test at [[Kensington Oval]] he scored 84, adding 150 in partnership with Surrey team-mate [[Alec Stewart]], as England won their only Test of the tour.<ref>{{cite web |title=West Indies v England, 4th Test, Bridgetown, April 08 – 13, 1994 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-west-indies-1993-94-61748/west-indies-vs-england-4th-test-63640/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref> Thorpe averaged 26.55 across the series,<ref name="testseries">{{cite web |title=Statsguru – GP Thorpe – Tests – series averages |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/21537.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=series |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref> with ''Wisden'' assessing: "Among the fringe batsmen Graham Thorpe made much the most progress, though he, too, had to cure technical problems before batting with authority late in the tour."<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153208.html |chapter=England in West Indies, 1993–94 |access-date=13 November 2023 |year=1995 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref>

Thorpe was dropped for the [[New Zealand cricket team in England in 1994|home series]] with [[New Zealand national cricket team|New Zealand]] in 1994, new chairman of selectors [[Ray Illingworth]] made wholesale changes with only six of the West Indies touring squad retained and opted for just five specialist batsmen with a five-man bowling attack including all-rounder [[Craig White]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Alan |title=Illingworth returns focus to Yorkshire |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F92422462FEF530 |access-date=13 November 2023 |work=The Times |via=Newsbank |url-access=subscription |date=30 May 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Martin |title=White rose in bloom for England in the first Test |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-white-rose-in-bloom-for-england-in-the-first-test-illingworth-s-influence-as-new-chairman-of-selectors-is-apparent-with-yorkshiremen-to-the-fore-in-the-squad-to-face-new-zealand-1439552.html |access-date=2 April 2024 |work=The Independent |date=30 May 1994}}</ref> While back playing for Surrey, Thorpe made the highest List A score of his career against Lancashire in the [[1994 NatWest Trophy|NatWest Trophy]], the innings of 145 not out coming from 135 deliveries. He shared a 180-run partnership with [[David Ward (Surrey cricketer)|David Ward]] which set a county record for the competition and Surrey's total of 343 was also their highest in one-day cricket at the time.<ref>{{cite web |title=Surrey v Lancashire, 2nd Round, The Oval, July 06, 1994 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/national-westminster-bank-trophy-1994-418952/surrey-vs-lancashire-2nd-round-418976/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Fairall |first1=Barrie |title=Thorpe the wonder drug |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket-thorpe-the-wonder-drug-surrey-s-flurry-is-decisive-1412277.html |access-date=2 April 2024 |work=The Independent |date=7 July 1994}}</ref>

Later that summer Thorpe was recalled by England for the second Test of the [[South African cricket team in England in 1994|series]] against [[South Africa national cricket team|South Africa]] at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]], taking the place of an injured White.<ref name="leeds94">{{cite book |last1=Bishop |first1=John |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153206.html |chapter=England v South Africa 1994, Second Cornhill Test |access-date=13 November 2023 |year=1995 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref> Thorpe, batting at number four, scored 72 from 112 balls including 13 boundaries during England's first innings, ''Wisden'' picked out "his urgency, instinctive placement and crisp driving".<ref name="leeds94"/> He added 73 in the second innings and 79 in the final Test at The Oval<ref name="testinn"/> to end the series with an average of 79.66.<ref name="testseries"/> In his series summary, [[Scyld Berry]] praised Thorpe's attacking play for enlivening England who prior to his introduction had taken a defensive approach to their batting.<ref name="SA94">{{cite book |last1=Berry |first1=Scyld |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153204.html |chapter=The South Africans in England, 1994 |access-date=13 November 2023 |year=1995 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref> In the ODI series with South Africa that followed the Tests, Thorpe scored his maiden ODI half-century.<ref name="odisinn"/>

Thorpe was selected for the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1994–95|1994–95 Ashes]] tour and played in all five Tests as Australia won the series 3–1. He contributed three fifties in the first four Tests including 83 in England's solitary victory at [[Adelaide Oval|Adelaide]].<ref name="testinn"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Australia v England, 4th Test, Adelaide, January 26 – 30, 1995 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-australia-1994-95-61706/australia-vs-england-4th-test-63666/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref> In the fifth Test at [[WACA Ground|Perth]] he scored his second Test century with an innings of 123 from 218 balls including 19 fours. His partnership of 158 with [[Mark Ramprakash]] recovered England's first innings from 77/4 but after Thorpe was dismissed, stumped off a [[Shane Warne]] top-spinner, they collapsed going on to lose the match by 329 runs.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153248.html |chapter=Australia v England 1994–95, Fifth Test |access-date=15 November 2023 |year=1996 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Australia v England, 5th Test, Perth, February 03 – 07, 1995 |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/england-tour-of-australia-1994-95-61706/australia-vs-england-5th-test-63667/full-scorecard |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref> Thorpe was England's leading run-scorer across the series with 444 runs at an average of 49.33.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Ashes 1994/95 – England averages |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/records/series/averages-batting-bowling-by-team/the-ashes-1994-95-353?team=1 |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=15 November 2023}}</ref> ''Wisden'' assessed that: "Thorpe appeared to have the temperament, as well as the technique, to be a fixture in the team for several years."<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153243.html |chapter=England in Australia, 1994–95 |access-date=15 November 2023 |year=1996 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref> In the [[1994–95 Australian Tri-Series]] scheduled during the Ashes series, he made his highest ODI score of 89 against [[Zimbabwe national cricket team|Zimbabwe]] at [[The Gabba]] however after batting for 155 minutes in 90°F heat he was taken to hospital with dehydration and heat exhaustion.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153243.html |chapter=Benson & Hedges World Series Cup 1994–95, ninth match |access-date=15 November 2023 |year=1996 |title=Wisden Cricketers' Almanack}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Lee |first1=Alan |title=England gain from Thorpe's pain |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=AWNB&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F9247095A9FACEA |access-date=15 November 2023 |work=The Times |via=Newsbank |url-access=subscription |date=9 January 1995}}</ref>