Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18 (IANS) Brian Lara played a captain's knock of 88 and Chris Gayle scored 79 as the West Indies surprised Australia with a three-wicket win in a DLF Cup triangular series match here Monday.
The West Indies, chasing Australia's 272 for six wickets in 50 overs, made 273 for seven wickets in 47.2 overs in the fourth day-night encounter at the Kinrara Academy Oval.
Australia's stand-in captain Mike Hussey was declared the Man of the Match for his flamboyant 109 not out, which was also his maiden century.
West Indies had a poor start as opener Shivnarine Chanderpaul was out for nought and Ramnaresh Sarwan fell for 25 leaving the team struggling at 44 for two in the 12th over.
But a third wicket partnership of 151 between Lara and opener Gayle helped the West Indies romp home with 16 balls to spare.
Lara's knock lasted 80 deliveries and included 11 boundaries and a six, while Gayle's runs came off in 93 balls (7x4s, 3x6s).
After the duo departed, the West Indies lost three quick wickets. But Dwayne Bravo played a steady, unbeaten knock of 37 to ensure victory.
Brett Lee was the most successful bowlers with three wickets for 46.
Earlier, opting to bat, Hussey blossomed in his new role of captain as he made an unbeaten century to guide Australia to a competitive total.
Before Hussey took charge, Australia were struggling at 64 for four. Opener Simon Katich (22), Shane Watson (0), Andrew Symonds (8) and Michael Clarke (1) all failed to deliver.
Opener Matthew Hayden, playing his first ODI after 14 months, fell one short of what would have been a deserving half-century.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who made 70 off 76 deliveries, ably assisted Hussey. Haddin's knock included three boundaries and four sixes.
It was their 165-run partnership for sixth wicket that helped Australia put up a total that had the potential to test the West Indies.
Ian Bradshaw and Dwayne Bravo scalped two wickets each.
SCORECARD
Fourth one-day international, DLF Cup triangular series, Australia vs West Indies (day/night), Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18
Australia:
Matthew Hayden c Taylor b Bravo 49
Simon Katich run out (Bradshaw/Baugh) 22
Shane Watson c Lara b Taylor 0
Andrew Symonds c Smith b Bradshaw 8
Michael Clarke c Gayle b Bradshaw 1
Mike Hussey not out 109
Bradd Haddin c Taylor b Bravo 70
Brett Lee not out 1
Extras: (b 1, lb 5, w 7) 13
Total: (for 6 wickets in 32 overs) 272
Fall of wickets 1-41 (Katich, 9.3 overs), 2-42 (Watson, 10.5), 3-57 (Symonds, 15.4), 4-64 (Clarke, 17.4), 5-104 (Hayden, 25.5), 6-270 (Haddin, 49.3)
Bowling:
Jerome Taylor 10-0-53-1 (2w)
Ian Bradshaw 10-0-35 -2 (1w)
Chris Gayle 7-0-47-0 (2w)
Dwayne Smith 7-0-38-0
Marlon Samuels 7-0-42-0
Dwayne Bravo 9-1-52-2 (2w)
West Indies:
Chris Gayle c Hussey b Watson 79
Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Haddin b Lee 0
Ramnaresh Sarwan c Haddin b Bracken 25
Brian Lara c Hussey b Lee 88
Dwayne Bravo not out 37
Wavell Hinds c Haddin b Lee 1
Marlon Samuels run out (Clarke) 0
Dwayne Smith b Symonds 4
Carlton Baugh not out 7
Extras: (lb 6, w 16, nb 11) 33
Total: (for 7 wickets in 47.2 overs) 273
Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Chanderpaul, 4.2 overs), 2-44 (Sarwan, 11.4), 3-195 (Gayle, 31.1), 4-242 (Lara, 40.2), 5-249 (Hinds, 42.3), 6-249 (Samuels, 42.5), 7-255 (Smith, 43.4)
Bowling:
Brett Lee 10-0-46-3 (3nb)
Nathan Bracken 9-0-31-1 (4w)
Stuart Clark 7-0-87-0 (7nb, 3w)
Shane Watson 10-0-42-1 (4w)
Andrew Symonds 5.2-0-27-1
Dan Cullen 6 1-34-0 (1nb, 3w)
Result: West Indies won by three wickets
Man of the Match: Mike Hussey
Toss: Australia
Umpires: Asad Rauf (Pakistan) and Anthony Hill (New Zealand)
TV umpire: Mark Benson (England)
Match Referee: Chris Broad (England)