ENG vs IND, 5th Test, Day 2: Why Are England Players Wearing Special Headband?

The England Cricket Board celebrated 'A Day For Thorpey' on what would have been the 56th birthday of Graham Thorpe, as the players were seen wearing a special headband to remember.

England cricketers wearing the special headband to honour the life of Graham Thorpe. Image | Surrey Cricket

England cricketers and fans were seen wearing a special headband during the second day of the England vs India, 5th test at the Kia Oval, London. English players wore the headband to honour the late Graham Thorpe, the former England wicket-keeper batter who tragically took his own life last year.

Thrope had scored 6,674 runs in the 100 Tests, averaging 44.66 while scoring 16 hundreds. He was just 55 when he took his own life, and on his 56th birthday, which is today, the England Cricket Board decided to honor him by celebrating 'A Day For Thorpey’ on Day 2 of the test match.

'That day will be very powerful,' Thorpe’s wife, Amanda, told BBC Sport.

"We want to celebrate him and his memory. His light was so bright," she added.

According to Sky Sports, “Headbands created by the family will be sold to raise funds, and Mind's 'Bat and Chat' sessions will be renamed 'Thorpey's Bat and Chat' with plans to expand them nationwide.”

Earlier on Day 2, English bowler Gus Atkinson earned his fourth five-wicket haul and returned with the bowling figure of 33/5 to help India bowl out for only 224, the lowest total of the series. India could add only 20 runs on the morning of Day 2.

Read Also: ENG vs IND, 5th test: From 204/6 to 224 all-out, India collapse in front of red hot Gus Atkinson

However, England batters found it easy to score runs as openers Ben Duckett and Zack Crawley scored quick runs to take their score to 109/1 in 16.0 overs before lunch was taken. Akash Deep, who was India's best bowler in the first session, picked up Duckett's wicket on 43 from 38 balls while Crawley completed his fifty in 42 balls.

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