West Indies were left to rue a costly mix-up between last wicket pair Darren Sammy and Kemar Roach as the third one-day international against Australia at St Vincent ended as a tie.
The Windies looked destined to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series with the scores level and three balls still remaining, however when Sammy failed to respond to Roach's kamikaze call for a single, George Bailey threw to bowler Brett Lee, who whipped off the bails with the home skipper stranded.
Australia had earlier collapsed from 202-4 to 220 all out to hand the hosts the initiative heading into their run-chase.
That momentum quickly stalled when Shane Watson took three wickets to reduce Windies to 117-6 in reply - the wicket of Kieron Pollard seemingly signalling the end of home hopes.
However, Andre Russell and Carlton Baugh took West Indies within 40 runs of victory with a stand of 64 for the seventh wicket and Sammy brought the scores level with six runs off the first three deliveries of Lee's final over.
But, with the victory line in sight, non-striker Roach charged at his captain when the ball went straight to Bailey at point, and the throw was safely taken by Lee, who dislodged the bails with Sammy barely halfway down the pitch.
Impressive
A flurry of late wickets had earlier enabled West Indies to restrict Australia, who had opted to bat first, to 220 all out at the Kingstown venue.
The last six wickets fell for 18 runs with three coming in the space of five balls as three Australians - Lee, Clint McKay and Xavier Doherty - went for ducks in quick succession.
However, the tourists could be grateful for 67 runs from Mike Hussey and another impressive display from the inexperienced Bailey, who added 59 for his maiden ODI fifty, in giving them a solid platform before the collapse.
Together, Hussey and Bailey put on 112 for the fourth wicket, taking Australia to 170 after opener Watson made just 10 before being run out and first man in Matthew Wade soon followed for two, bowled by Sunil Narine.
When David Warner's innings came to a close, caught by Sammy off Pollard for 37, Australia were wobbling on 58-3.
Bailey and Hussey stemmed the tide as they batted out 25 overs, the partnership eventually ended when Bailey was caught off Marlon Samuels, who then had Hussey stumped six overs later.
Hussey's departure came with the score on 202 and they failed to add a run before his brother David departed for 15, bowled by Roach.
Roach accounted for Lee moments later with McKay and Doherty following soon after to leave Australia on 208-9. The innings came to a close one ball short of the full 50 overs with Narine (3-32) trapping Daniel Christian lbw for the final wicket.
That the West Indies came close to a victory was a surprise after they found themselves toiling at 78-5 after 21 overs.
Kieran Powell was stumped early on for 12, and Samuels added just two off 20 balls before he was bowled by Australia captain Watson.
Darren Bravo went for a duck to leave the hosts on 52-3, and after opener Johnson Charles fell five runs shy of a half-century, Dwayne Bravo soon followed for 13.
But the hosts fought back impressively. Pollard put on 36, Russell, who was bowled off a no-ball by Watson, 37, and when Baugh went for 33 the score was a much more competitive 190-8 with a little over five overs remaining.
The Kingston crowd's nerves were tested when Narine went for 10 with 16 balls left, but it was ultimately Roach's nerves that frayed at the crucial moment.