Australia snatch win from the fire

St Kitts: Shane Watson kept his nerve, and the seventh-wicket pair of Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy failed to carry West Indies over the threshold, as Australia completed a thrilling one-run victory in the fourth One-day International on Friday.

Australia had set West Indies 283 for victory from 50 overs, and successfully defended the target score, when Watson - with the home team needing eight runs from the last over - conceded six runs from the final six balls.

The victory handed Australia a 4-0 lead in the five-match series, after they won the opening match by 84 runs in St. Vincent, the rain-affected second ODI last Friday by 63 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis Method, and the third ODI last Sunday by seven wickets.

It also set the Aussies up to make a swing at a rare ODI series sweep in the Caribbean.

Only South Africa (5-0 in 2005) and Pakistan (3-0 in the same year) have achieved this in the Archipelago. Australia looked set to suffer their first defeat in the series, as West Indies captain Chris Gayle marched to a run-a-ball 92, Ramnaresh Sarwan coasted to 63 from 79 balls, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul gathered 53 from 71 balls.

But Australia responded with a crucial wicket every time West Indies appeared to be getting into the swing of things. Brett Lee was the most successful Australia bowler with three wickets for 64 runs from 10 overs.

After Lee had Xavier Marshall adjudged lbw for a two-ball duck with the third ball of the West Indies' innings, Gayle and Sarwan added 137 for the second. Lee returned for a second spell and broke the stand, when he had Sarwan caught behind in the 24th over.

Australia were again put on the back-foot, when Shivnarine Chanderpaul joined Gayle and they added 50 for the third wicket. But Shane Watson had the West Indies captain caught at extra cover in the 34th over.

The Aussies were put through the ringers again, when Dwayne Bravo joined Chanderpaul and added 59 for the fourth wicket before James Hopes bowled him for 31 in the 43rd over.

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