A record partnership by acting captain Michael Hussey and Brad Haddin was cancelled out by a destructive stand of 151 from Chris Gayle and Brian Lara as the West Indies notched a nervy three-wicket victory over Australia at Kinrara Oval in Malaysia.

By winning with 16 balls to spare, West Indies defeated the Australians for the first time in a live match - before a Test or one-day series had been decided - since the 1999 Caribbean series.

Joining forces at 2-44 pursuing Australia's 6-272, captain Lara (87 from 80 balls) and opener Gayle (79 from 93 balls) crunched all the bowlers with strokeplay that varied from artful to murderous.

They reserved particular disdain for New South Welshman Stuart Clark, who surrendered 87 runs from seven overs that underlined the chasm in class between him and Glenn McGrath, despite Clark's outstanding tour of South Africa earlier this year.

Clark's figures were the second worst by an Australian in a one-day international after Mick Lewis' infamous 0-113 against South Africa in Johannesburg earlier this year.

Earlier Hussey made 109 not out (90 balls, 10 fours, three sixes) and Haddin 70 (76 balls, three fours, four sixes) to retrieve Australia's innings from the depths of 5-104 in the 26th over.

Hussey's hundred was his first in a one day international, and with Haddin he set a new mark for Australia's highest sixth wicket stand, their 165 runs surpassing a 145-run union between Shane Watson and Hussey during last year's World XI Super Series.

Having won the toss, Hussey had arrived at the wicket in the midst of a genuine crisis at 4-64 after the top order had struggled to break free from accurate bowling by Ian Bradshaw (2-35).

Matthew Hayden's fall for a painfully scratchy 49 meant Haddin was in with plenty of time left to bat, and he soon showed the sort of busy demeanour that would have pleased Hussey.

Together they righted the ship, first with singles, then with boundaries, and 91 runs came from the last 10 overs of the Australian innings, with Hussey reaching a richly-deserved century by swatting Taylor for successive fours in the 49th.

The West Indians made an unfortunate start when Shivnarine Chanderpaul was ruled caught behind by umpire Asad Rauf in Brett Lee's third over despite missing the ball by some distance.

Ramnaresh Sarwan reached 25 before Bracken forced a genuine inside edge through to Haddin, and at that point Australia seemed in control.

However Gayle took an immediate liking to Clark's rigid right arm seamers, and after twice nearly maiming the bowler with straight hits, he sliced a six over gully to force Clark's withdrawal from the attack with figures of 0-44 from three overs.

Other bowlers suffered similar punishment, and young spinner Daniel Cullen was cleverly out-thought by Lara, who backed away to allow room for a series of deft offside shots.

Clark suffered again in his second spell, but after Gayle fell to Watson (1-43) with the score at 195, and Lara to Lee (3-46) at 242, there were some late wobbles that momentarily threatened to rival the collapse of 9-29 that West Indies had conjured in the first game of the tournament.

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