VB SERIES TABLE Australia P5 W4 L0 NR1 Pts 26 RR 1.44 West Indies P5 W1 L3 NR1 Pts 9 RR -0.75 Pakistan P4 W1 L3 NR 0 Pts 7 RR - 0.70

West Indies captain Brian Lara blasted 156 runs to steer his side to a crucial 58-run win over Pakistan in their VB Series match at Adelaide Oval.

The victory lifted the West Indies above Pakistan and into second place behind Australia in the standings.

With Lara hitting his second-highest one-day score off 138 balls, the West Indies raced to a ground record 339-4.

Pakistan made a respectable 281-9, batting through their 50 overs, but never approached the run-rate required.

The match did not start well for Lara's men as Chris Gayle went for nine.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was forced to retire hurt on two after being struck on the elbow by a Naved-ul-Hasan bouncer.

Although X-rays revealed only bruising, he will not bat again in the series.

When Ricardo Powell was dismissed for 23 in the 10th over West Indies were effectively 56-3.

But Lara formed a 187-run partnership with left-hander Shivnarine Chanderpau, who made 85 from 92 deliveries.

It was Lara's 250th one-day international and he marked the occasion in style, knocking five sixes and 12 fours.

That's all in the past now - I'm looking forward to Tuesday Brian Lara More post-match reaction

For Pakistan, all-rounders Yousuf Youhana (45) and Abdul Razzaq (44) did much of the work in a stand of 75.

Key strike bowler Pedro Collins could only manage four overs before he had to be replaced with a thigh strain while Ian Bradshaw was suffering from a sore heel.

Mohammad Hafeez contributed 41 and Azhar Mahmood 40 but Pakistan could not take full advantage of the lack of depth in their opponents' bowling line-up.

Reon King, Wavell Hinds and Dwayne Bravo took two wickets each.

Pakistan play Australia in Perth on Sunday but the match against the West Indies next Tuesday will determine who will face the host nation in the finals series.

Pakistan: Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (Wkt), Mohammad Hafeez Shoaib Malik, Inzamam-ul-Haq (Capt), Yousuf Youhana, Abdul Razzaq Shahid Afridi, Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Akhtar, Naved-ul-Hasan.

West Indies: C H Gayle, W W Hinds, R R Sarwan, B C Lara (Capt) S Chanderpaul, R L Powell, D J J Bravo, C O Browne (Wkt) I D R Bradshaw, R D King, P T Collins.

Umpires: D J Harper and R E Koertzen.