by HAYDN GILL in St Kitts

AN ALL too familiar, unbelievable script was written here yesterday to the amazement of a packed Warner Park.

Only West Indies would have lost the fourth Digicel One-Day International after putting themselves in a seemingly unbeatable position.

Many times in their recent history they have pressed the panic button, and this time it was a bitter pill to swallow for the 7 000 fans in the ground.

West Indies, chasing 282 to win, lost by one run in a match that was theirs for the taking.

With the luxury of seven wickets in hand, two batsmen progressing in a fourth-wicket partnership of 59, and 36 runs required from 43 balls, the result should have been a forgone conclusion.

Loose stroke

Instead, the wicket of Dwayne Bravo from a loose stroke after a confident run-a-ball 31; the fall of debutant Shawn Findlay to a remarkable one-handed catch; a string of four successive dot balls to Denesh Ramdin, and the wicket of ever-reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul from an uncharacteristic cross-batted stroke from the last ball of the penultimate over all contributed to the defeat.

Even after all of that, the hosts were in with a chance when they started the final over, from Shane Watson, needing eight to win.

Neither Ramdin or Darren Sammy had the benefit of any significant time in the middle and all they could manage were singles from every ball.

Captain Chris Gayle apologised to fans for the defeat that has left the West Indies staring at the possibility of a 5-0 series whitewash. The final match of the series is set for tomorrow at the same venue.

Gayle, leading from the front, blazed an impressive run-a-ball 92 and, with his key men Ramnaresh Sarwan and Chanderpaul also joining the party, the hosts looked like sure winners.

As Gayle coasted along at the speed of former world 100 metres champion Kim Collins, whose name is attached to a highway in this "sugar city", Australia were under pressure.

Authoritative

When the West Indies captain aimed to leg and skied a catch to cover after an authoritative display that included four meaty sixes and ten fours, the total was 188 for three in the 34th over, but it was just what Australia needed to turn things around.

Chanderpaul and Bravo moved along nicely to keep the runs required fewer than the remaining balls for the most part, but their dismissals badly hurt West Indies who needed the presence of one of them in the final over.

After West Indies lost Xavier Marshall for his second duck in succession, Gayle and Sarwan immediately set about the recovery with a second-wicket partnership of 137 from 145 balls that had more than 7 000 flag-waving, noise-making, supporters in frenzied celebrations.

Power play

Sarwan, positive at the start and end, and measured in between, carved 63 off 79 balls that included a straight six and successive fours at the start of the third power play, which Australia had to delay until the 24th over because of the early fireworks.

He fell in the same over to a keeper's catch when he attempted to run a ball to third-man.

With the ground's tiny boundaries – that were extended by a few yards following last year's World Cup – West Indies did reasonably well to contain Australia in the first half of the innings.

Daren Powell continued to produce the unplayable balls that coach John Dyson spoke of three weeks ago, and two of them earned him the wickets of both openers after Australia raced out of the starting blocks.

After Powell stalled Australia's brisk advance at the start, debutant left-arm spinner Nikita Miller kept his foot on the brakes by showing good control for seven overs that cost him 23 runs.

At 116 for three in the 24th over, West Indies could feel reasonably pleased. Enter Andrew Symonds – and the ball game changed.

Symonds used up his first 15 balls for three runs before proceeding to decimate the attack with complete authority, blasting 87 off 78 balls that was undoubtedly the most destructive assault of the series.

Neither Powell nor Miller had an answer and both had their flattering figures rapidly transformed.

Powell was smashed for 32 runs from his last two overs, including 19 in his last when his first ball was lifted over long-off for six by Symonds and the final struck in the same position by David Hussey.

Miller was only spared marginally in his final three overs that cost 33 runs and spoiled his first outing in international cricket.

As Symonds and Hussey, who marked his ODI debut with a half-century, pushed on during their fourth-wicket partnership of 129, Australia were able to slam 126 runs from the final 15 overs.

SCOREBOARD:

AUSTRALIA

S. Marsh c wk Ramdin b Powell 16

S. Watson c wk Ramdin b Powell 20

M. Hussey c Bravo b Sammy 37

*M. Clarke lbw b Miller 36

A. Symonds c Bravo b Edwards 87

D. Hussey c sub (Roach) b Gayle 50

J. Hopes c Sarwan b Edwards 0

+L. Ronchi c Marshall b Bravo 12

B. Lee not out 7

M. Johnson not out 0

Extras (lb7, w7, nb3) 17

TOTAL (8 wkts – 50 overs) 282

Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-56, 3-116, 4-129, 5-256, 6-256, 7-266, 8-279.

Did not bat: N. Bracken.

Bowling: Edwards 10-0-53-2 (w1, nb2), Powell 10-1-66-2, Bravo 10-0-57-1 (w1,nb1), Sammy 4-0-18-1, Miller 10-1-56-1, Gayle 6-1-25-1.

WEST INDIES

*C. Gayle c Hopes b Watson 92

X. Marshall lbw b Lee 0

R. Sarwan c wk Ronchi b Lee 63

S. Chanderpaul b Bracken 53

D. Bravo b Hopes 31

S. Findlay c M. Hussey b Lee 9

+D. Ramdin not out 5

D. Sammy not out 3

Extras (lb6, w17, nb2) 25

TOTAL (6 wkts – 50 overs) 281

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-138, 3-188, 4-247, 5-271, 6-275.

Did not bat: D. Powell, N. Miller, F. Edwards.

Bowling: Lee 10-0-64-3 (w2, nb2), Bracken 10-0-50-1 (w1), Johnson 10-0-40-0 (w3), Hopes 10-0-63-1, D. Hussey 2-0-20-0 (w1), Watson 7-0-33-1 (w2), Clarke 1-0-5-0.

Toss: West Indies.

Result: Australia won by one run.

Man Of The Match: Andrew Symonds.

Umpires: Steve Bucknor (Jamaica), Asad Rauf (Pakistan). TV replays: Norman Malcolm (Jamaica). Fourth official: Clancy Mack (Antigua)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)