Former West Indies and cricketing great Brian Lara's house was broken into and TT$8,500 was stolen. According to police the thief was known to Lara and was an "inside job". Lara chose not to press charges against the accused, who has not been identified.

With Shivanarine Chanderpaul and captain Ramnaresh Sarwan out, though not an excuse, the West Indies nose dived to their worst defeat ever in Test cricket history. England completely devastated the West Indies comfortably winning by an innings and 283 runs.

The West Indies, led for the first time by 26 year old batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan, includes most of the senior players who were part of the West Indies disappointing showing in the World Cup at home, despite their poor performances.

Australia won an unprecedented third straight World Cup yesterday with a 53-run win over Sri Lanka in a rain-affected final. Sri Lanka faltered to 215 for eight in fading light in the final at Kensington Oval.

Australia trounced South Africa by seven wickets yesterday to move smoothly into the final of the World Cup, chasing down a paltry target of 150 with 18.3 overs to spare. Australia bowlers blew away South Africa, reducing it to 27-5 before the Proteas rallied to reach 149 all out, Justin Kemp top scoring with 49 not out.

A classic innings of 115 not out (109 balls, 10 fours, three sixes) from Mahela Jayawardene and another telling Muttiah Muralitharan display (8-0-31-4) put New Zealand out of the ICC World Cup.

Brian Lara could not be stopped. Even in defeat. His last match international cricket had just ended in a narrow loss to England here at a packed Kensington Oval. His last innings was only a meager 18, and run out too. But neither of those disappointments could stop Lara saying a fond farewell to West Indies and world cricket yesterday.

That is the question still being asked today as Lara prepares to bid West Indies and world cricket goodbye at Kensington Oval in the final Super Eights match of this ICC Cricket World Cup. For his part, West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) president Ken Gordon says he wanted Lara to stay on for one more tour.

Beleaguered and embattled West Indies cricket captain Brian Lara delivered a shock knock to his fans and detractors alike, announcing yesterday that he intends to leave the field at the end of the World Cup game against England tomorrow.

West Indies skipper Brian Lara apologised to the Caribbean people yesterday for his team’s dismal performance in the current Cricket World Cup. His comments came after the West Indies suffered their fourth successive defeat in the Super-8s yesterday, effectively ending their chances of qualifying for the semi-finals.