Tributes to one of the classiest middle-order batsmen England has ever produced, Graham Thorpe, were as bountiful as his signature knee-up pull shot this week after his death aged 55.

Born at Farnham Hospital in 1969, the great left-hander is a bonafide legend of the Farnham sporting community and his local roots are immortalised on the Famous Names of Farnham wall in South Street alongside the likes of Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Hawthorn.

The unveiling of Thorpe’s plaque in April 2002 was attended by the man himself and reported in the Herald just a month after his career-best Test match tally of 200 not out against New Zealand in Christchurch.

"Farnham has plenty going for it, and I certainly found there was enough to do when I was growing up here," said the Surrey and England cricketer at the ceremony 22 years ago.

Asked for his advice to youngsters growing up in the town, the cricketing great said: "My parents were always interested in encouraging what my brothers and I were doing.

"I suggest youngsters are encouraged to take up a sport with friends. I played sport through school and did work experience at the sports centre."

Thorpe, who also went to Weydon School and Farnham College, also spoke of the importance of giving that extra bit of dedication to whatever a person is out to achieve.

Asked how he relaxed between Test matches, he said his greatest enjoyment was in spending time with his two children.

Farnham in Bloom’s then-chairman Madge Green, herself posthumously awarded a Famous Names plaque in 2017, hailed the addition of Thorpe’s plaque as the others, she said, were “sadly all dead”.

"So it is a special joy to find that their splendid tradition is still in fine working order and that you are here in person today," Madge added.

She recalled that Graham was born in Farnham Hospital at 7.30am on August 1, 1969 – "and we even know what you weighed!"

Born into a sports-mad family, at the age of 13 Thorpe was playing for the Wrecclesham Cricket Club's first team and at 15 for the Farnham first team in the Surrey Championship, following in the footsteps of his older brothers, Ian and Alan.

Legend has it that his career as one of England’s finest left-hand batters began in the garden of his family home in Wrecclesham when he realised he would have more chance against his brothers if he batted lefty.

Joining Surrey County Cricket Club at the age of 16, he was awarded a county cap in 1991. 

Thorpe also played football in the England Under-18s side as a “nip-your-ankles” midfielder, to borrow his own description. But cricket won the day.

His first Test match was at Trent Bridge against Australia in 1993, when he scored a famous 114 not out.

Said Mrs Green in 2002: "He has this year brought further honour to our country, playing a successful role in the tours to India and New Zealand, including scoring a double century in New Zealand. He is clearly a Farnham chap we can be proud to call our own.”

Thorpe’s plaque was accompanied in 2002 by another honouring an 18th century predecessor, cricketer William ‘Silver Billy’ Beldham, who practised on the very same Wrecclesham ground Thorpe played on.

In 2016, Thorpe and Beldham’s paths crossed again when the then-retired England stalwart unveiled a permanent memorial to Silver Billy in Wrecclesham.

A sign depicting Beldham that once adorned The Cricketers pub on the corner of The Street and School Hill was found in West Sussex by the Wrecclesham History Project, restored and proudly unveiled at the village recreation ground by Thorpe.

Graham is survived by his father Geoff, a former Farnham Cricket Club chairman, mother Toni who was a longstanding scorer and supporter of the club, and brothers Ian and Alan who have both captained Farnham 1st XI. His nephew Nathan is part of the first team to-this-day.