An aspiring British cricketer has been shot dead in an armed robbery while on holiday in the Caribbean, according to reports.

Adrian St John, 22, was apparently killed after stopping his car to pick up a friend in the town of San Juan. The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian report that he was targeted by two gunmen, who stole cash and his mobile phone. After ordering him to drive off, one of the robbers then opened fire on the car and shot him in the head.

One of his passengers steered the car to a main road and managed to flag down a police vehicle, which transported St John to the nearby Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex. He died there shortly afterwards.

St John was the captain of the Chris Gayle Academy, a London cricket school established by the West Indian all rounder. Gayle has since tweeted his condolences to the youngster’s family.

Donovan Miller, a coach and mentor with the Chris Gayle Foundation, has said: “I’m really finding it hard to come to terms with it, how someone could do something like that to such a lovely person.

“He wanted me to support him to go to the Caribbean and to kind of push hard with his cricket. He’s just finished his degree at university which we kind of supported him through as well.”

St John was one of the first members of the Chris Gayle Academy, but also played for Oxted and Limpsfield Cricket Club (OLCC) in Surrey and Alleyn Cricket Club in south London. His cousin, Leandra Alexander, has said: “Adrian was very cool and jolly. He was a darling.

“He was never rude, never disrespectful, he was just a cool and quiet child.”

A 24-year-old suspect has apparently been held over the murder.