PORT-OF-SPAIN (Trinidad), May 28: A second successive unbeaten half-century by Dwayne Bravo took West Indies to 255 for six in the fifth and final One-day International against India on Sunday.

Bravo blazed a career-best 62 not out off just 44 balls as West Indies, who hold an unassailable 3-1 lead, recorded their highest total of the series.

Chris Gayle (51) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (52) also played their part while captain Brian Lara, who said before the match he expected it to be his last in front of his home crowd, scored 36.

Gayle survived a chance in the opening over of the innings, before he had scored, top-edging a cut off Shanthakumaran Sreesanth through the gloves of wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni.

His fellow opener, Sewnarine Chattergoon, was bowled by the first ball he faced as he played no stroke to an Ajit Agarkar delivery that cut back in to hit the top of off stump.

Gayle and Sarwan then added 82 runs in 18.3 overs, with the left-handed Gayle hitting 10 boundaries as he raced to his half-century off 60 balls,

He reached the landmark with successive boundaries from off spinner Virender Sehwag, the first from a conventional slog-sweep the second from a reverse-sweep.

Gayle was then bowled by the off spinner's next delivery, seeking another swept boundary.

Lara, who was greeted by a standing ovation by the Queen's Park Oval crowd, looked set for a memorable farewell as he went watchfully to 36.

He looked in control against all the India bowlers, save for paceman Sreesanth, but the visitors eventually claimed his wicket through a fortunate run out.

Lara had turned off spinner Harbhajan Singh to deep square-leg, but stumbled on returning for a second run and was caught mere centimetres out of his ground by Agarkar's quick throw and tidy glovework by Dhoni.

Sarwan laid the foundation for Bravo's late onslaught on the Indian bowlers, but was bowled by Sreesanth two balls after reaching his half-century, coming down the pitch and missing with a wild swing.

Bravo, who was dropped on 23 by Robin Uthappa off Agarkar, struck four fours in his second one-day international half-century, improving on his 61 not out on Friday when West Indies beat India by six wickets at the same venue to clinch the series.

Bravo had the support of a level-headed contribution of 32 off 34 balls by Wavell Hinds as their 78-run partnership provided a late surge in the run-rate.

Sehwag, who came on in the 14th over and took one for 29 in his 10 overs, and Agarkar, who finished with two for 44, were the pick of the Indian attack.

Scoreboard

WEST INDIES:

C.H. Gayle b Sehwag 51

S. Chattergoon b Agarkar 0

R.R. Sarwan b Sreesanth 52

B.C. Lara run out 36

D.J.J. Bravo not out 62

W.W. Hinds c Sehwag b Agarkar 32

D.R. Smith b Patel 1

D. Ramdin not out 1

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-3, W-13, NB-3) 20

TOTAL (for six wkts, 50 overs) 255

FALL OF WKTS: 1-8, 2-90, 3-137, 4-165, 5-243, 6-251.

DID NOT BAT: D. Mohammed, J.E. Taylor, C.D. Collymore.

BOWLING: Sreesanth 10-0-62-1 (2w); Agarkar 10-1-44-2 (4w); Munaf Patel 10-0-64-1 (3nb, 2w); Harbhajan Singh 10-0-52-0 (1w); Sehwag 10-0-29-1 (4w).

INDIA: V. Sehwag, A.R. Uthappa, R. Dravid, Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif, S.K. Raina, M.S. Dhoni, A.B. Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, S. Sreesanth.UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and S.J.A. Taufel (Australia).

TV UMPIRE: B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).—Agencies