US$250,000 donation to Barbados Cricket

Lord Gavron, a British benefactor, has donated US$250,000 (just over £125,000) to secure the future of youth cricket in Barbados.

Gavron, a former chairman of the Guardian and Observer group of newspapers in England, spoke to Barbados's Nation newspaper. "Cricket teaches you things that are useful in later life and I wanted to make some contribution to Barbados. As long as I'm around I hope to be able to support cricket.

"We realised Barbados cricket was going into a low period and I felt cricket was a bit under threat from basketball and other events," he continued. "I feel cricket is a hugely good influence on young people, and young men in particular. Today there are many temptations, all sorts of things, and cricket with its emphasis on team work and application and concentration on detail, fitness, is a marvellous counter to temptation.

"I would like to think that the more one can do for cricket and the young people playing it, the better chance the boys have of having good lives quite apart from and beyond cricket."

In 2001 the Barbados Cricket Association inaugurated the Lord Gavron Award, which is presented to the young cricketer of the year.