Australia held their nerve to win the fourth one-day cricket international by one run over a panic-stricken West Indies yesterday at Warner Park.

The home team, at one stage cruising along at 242 for three, only scored 39 runs off the last eight overs and was left short at 281 for six off 50 overs.

Captain Chris Gayle (92), Ramnaresh Sarwan (63) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (53) set up a solid platform but the visitors fought back brilliantly in the tense final stages.

All-rounder Shane Watson delivered an ice-cool final over as the West Indies were limited to six singles in pursuit of eight runs.

Pace ace Brett Lee was also impressive in claiming three for 64.

Earlier, Australia totalled 282 for eight off 50 overs on the back of a Man of the Match topscore of 87 off 78 balls from Andrew Symonds.

Symonds and debutant David Hussey (50) shared a partnership of 127 that anchored the Aussie innings.

Lee jolted the West Indies' run chase in the first over when Xavier Marshall fell for a duck. But Gayle and Sarwan brilliantly took the match towards the West Indies in a fluent second wicket stand of 137 off 139 balls.

Gayle was typically powerful and smacked six fours and four sixes off 91 deliveries. Sarwan was more classical in notching six fours and a six off 79 balls.

Even when Sarwan fell at 138 for two when Lee returned for a second spell, the home team continued to hold the edge.

Gayle and Chanderpaul added 50 for the third wicket before Gayle skied a Watson slower ball into the off side where James Hopes held a fine running catch.

Dwayne Bravo and Chanderpaul kept the West Indies on course in another half-century partnership.

But once Bravo lost his off stump to Hopes, at 247 for four off 43 overs, the decline began.

Debutant Shawn Findlay hit a huge six but only managed nine off 14 balls before a stunning midwicket catch by Michael Hussey off Lee cut him short.

Chanderpaul remained the West Indies' best hope, but he fell off the final ball of the penultimate over from Nathan Bracken. The left-hander hit four fours in 53 off 71 balls before he swung across the line and lost his off stump.