Shivnarine Chanderpaul guided West Indies into the ICC Champions Trophy semi-finals by hitting an unbeaten 51 in a tight five-wicket win over South Africa in their Group B decider at The Oval on Sunday.

West Indies defeated Bangladesh by 138 runs in a Pool B match of the Champions Trophy at Rose Bowl here Wednesday.

Speaking with candour a few days before the Champions Trophy, Brian Lara admitted that West Indies had a long way to go even though all the signs of a team in the making were there. While his outlook was cautiously positive, he revealed that the team would not take even Bangladesh lightly; the last time they met, West Indies scraped through with a few close victories.

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) - Trinidad bestowed West Indies captain Brian Lara with a diplomatic passport Friday several months after naming him sports ambassador for the Caribbean country.

BIRMINGHAM, England (CMC) - George Headley. Brian Lara. Sir Vivian Richards. Sir Garfield Sobers. Sir Frank Worrell. All are West Indies batting legends. All are West Indies captains. And all have been chosen as the Five West Indies Jubilee Cricketers on Tuesday at a lavish awards ceremony held at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.

The most celebrated West Indian cricketer will be unavoidably absent from tonight?s big Scotia Bank Jubilee Gala at the world famous Symphony Hall.

Barbados has been awarded the honour of hosting the 2007 World Cup final, while Jamaica will host the opening ceremony. Sabina Park, in Jamaica, will also be the venue for the first game.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori snared Brian Lara on his way to a career-best five-wicket haul and also ran out two batsmen on Saturday as New Zealand romped to the NatWest Trophy with a 107-run victory over the West Indies.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) - Digicel announced yesterday that it has secured sponsorship of the West Indies cricket team.

The West Indies posted 294/3 wickets and lead Bangladesh by ten runs at stumps on the second day of the second Test in Jamaica.