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Off-spinner Jason Llewellyn Smith is the second winner of the annual Lord Gavron Award which is given to the most outstanding youth cricketer.

Smith, a former student of Ellerslie School, represented the Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme in the Division 1 competition and he was selected to the winning Barbados Under-19 team this year.

In making the announcement, Clinton St Hill, chairman of the national youth selection panel, said: "He resides at a place in Barbados called Sugar Hill. However, I don't think most batsman relish the sucrose content he is delivering because he has been performing quite well with the ball."

The slender 18-year-old Smith said: "It feels great to get this award. Ryan Nurse got it last year, but I always felt some time in the future I would get it."

Smith received a trophy and his other prizes will include a computer and cricket gear. He credited the officials in the sports programme, especially coach Hendy Springer, Commander Dave Dowridge, Lieutenant David Hope-Taylor and Sergeant Dave Sobers, for helping him develop his skills since he "was not very talented" before he signed up.

He hopes to fulfil the award to the best of his ability, make the Barbados senior team in the Busta Cup next year and the West Indies team in the future. At the presentation he was accompanied by his parents, Gloria Smith and Ishmael Brereton.

In this year's domestic competition, Smith took 39 wickets at an average of 20.34 and in the Under-19 Competition, he bowled 157 overs, 40 maidens and took 35 wickets for 341 runs at 13.64. He had one ten-wicket haul and took five or more wickets on three occasions, gaining selection with six other Barbadians to the West Indies Under-19 team.

He also received some advice from Lord Gavron, a British millionaire, who has also donated money towards the Barbados Cricket Association's Development Project.

"Don't only bowl, Jason, make sure your batting and fielding are good. Not only are you depriving a side of runs, you must also look to add runs to your side. I believe that in a few years, bowlers with a batting average below ten won't be terribly desirable acquisitions," Lord Gavron said.

"Jason, I congratulate you most warmly on being the winner of this award. I wish you a glittering future in cricket. I hope that one day in the future, you will help West Indies defeat the Australians."

© Barbados Nation