There was a sense of despondency on the face of West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara and wicketkeeper Courtney Browne, who after touring Grenada on Wednesday, visited Jamaica yesterday morning to get a first-hand assessment of damages caused by Hurricane Ivan. It's sad, really sad to see how a hurricane can affect so many peoples lives so quickly, people who have been working and building a future for themselves," said Lara. "I have never experienced it (a hurricane) back home in Trinidad before, and I have no idea what it's all about, but looking at the damages one can just imagine what those people went through," he added. Lara and Browne, who were a part of the West Indies winning ICC Champions' Trophy team, which defeated England in dramatic style last week, said while in Europe they received the news of the effects of Ivan but to witness it first-hand was a different thing. In Grenada, they said, houses lay flat for miles, people struggled to find a place to rest their head at nights, and the lack of essential services were making life difficult. "Grenada was far more traumatic, it's just amazing what natural disasters can do," said Browne. "But we met with the Prime Minister and citizens and let them know that all the players feel their pain at this time and we continue to do whatever we can to assist them," added Browne, who shared a record ninth-wicket match-winning partnership with countryman Ian Bradshaw. According to Browne, in addition to the US$15,000 that the players made available to the islands affected, a match, including all the West Indies players, was being planned to raise more support. This match, to be held in Barbados at the Three W's Oval, Cave Hill Campus, will be primarily designed to help Grenadian students on Campus at the University. "I received a call yesterday from Professor (Hillary) Beckles and he was trying to organise a match for next week including the West Indies. This is firstly to help the Grenadian students on campus who don't know how they are going to pay their tuition, and help their families. So we are looking to organise that this weekend as some cricketers have been contacted and the responses have all been favourable. "Also, Joel Garner, he too is thinking about organising a past versus present West Indies team match to raise funds for the islands affected. So the cricketers are really coming out and we are willing to put out the effort to do whatever it takes," Browne explained. Shortly after the visit Browne and Lara left for the Cayman Islands, the other Caribbean island to suffer major damages from Ivan. SOURCE: JAMAICA-OBSERVER.COM