The Windies won by three wickets before lunch on the fifth morning, reaching 7-418 in their second innings - the highest successful run chase by any Test team.

It surpassed India's 4-406 against the Windies in Trinidad in April 1976 as Test cricket's greatest pursuit, although Australia retained the Frank Worrell Trophy with a 3-1 series victory.

Bowlers Omari Banks (47 not out) and Vasbert Drakes (27 not out) steered the Windies home with an unbeaten partnership of 46 runs after Australia had struck a huge blow by dismissing Shivnarine Chanderpaul (104) in the third over of the morning.

Chanderpaul edged Brett Lee to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and the dismissal returned Australia to favouritism on a tense morning at the Recreation Ground.

But Banks, from the tiny nearby island of Anguilla, and veteran Drakes, playing his first series at home, defied Australia's bowlers.

The Windies sensed victory when Drakes swatted a huge six from Stuart MacGill, almost clearing the Andy Roberts Stand, to leave the home team with 14 runs for victory.

Drakes then reduced the target to 10 runs, although he was lucky when an inside edge from Jason Gillespie raced to the boundary.

The luck continued in the next over when Drakes survived three LBW appeals from MacGill, who seemed to have genuine claims on at least the first shout to English umpire David Shepherd.

Captain Steve Waugh stuck with bowlers Lee, MacGill and Jason Gillespie for the first hour until calling on pace spearhead Glenn McGrath with 10 runs required.

But Australia wasn't able to break the partnership, further lamenting a missed chance yesterday when Martin Love dropped Banks on two at slip from the bowling of Lee.

Drakes hit the winning runs when he clipped MacGill to the point boundary.

The teams begin a seven-match one-day series with a double-header in Jamaica this weekend, while non one-day players Waugh, MacGill, Justin Langer, Martin Love and Ashley Noffke leave the squad.

Greatest Test run chases

7-418 - West Indies vs Australia, St John's 2002-03

4-406 - India vs West Indies, Port of Spain 1975-76

3-404 - Australia vs England, Headingley, 1948

6-369 - Australia vs Pakistan, Hobart 1999-2000

7-362 - Australia vs West Indies, Georgetown 1977-78

5-348 - West Indies vs New Zealand, Auckland 1968-69

1-344 - West Indies vs England, Lord's 1984

8-342 - Australia vs India, Perth 1977-78

5-340 - South Africa vs Australia, Durban 2001-02