Australia captain Ricky Ponting admitted his side had been on wrong the end of one of the greatest shocks in cricket history after the world champions went down to a five-wicket defeat against Bangladesh in their triangular series one-day international on Saturday.
”It’s probably one of the biggest shock upsets in the history of the game,” Ponting told reporters afterwards.
”If you lose to Bangladesh you should be pretty worried. The writing is on the wall for us now.”
Australia had been 1/500 on with leading British bookmakers to win the match at Sophia Gardens and Bangladesh 33/1, astonishing odds for a two horse race.
But Bangladesh, set 250 to win, belied their status at the bottom of the world one-day international rankings and the fact they’d been beaten in their previous six one-day international matches against Australia.
They won with four balls to spare after Mohammad Ashraful made a run-a-ball hundred although it was Aftab Ahmed who saw them home when, with seven needed off six balls, he hit the first ball of the last over from Jason Gillespie for six over long-on before Bangladesh scrambled a single off the next.
But Ashraful’s stand of 130 with skipper Habibul Bashar (47) put Bangladesh in position to claim only their 10th win in 108 one-day internationals and produce a result even more stunning than Zimbabwe’s opening match defeat of Australia at the 1983 World Cup when current England coach Duncan Fletcher was man-of-the-match for the Africans.
Earlier pace bowler Mashrafe Mortaza took a wicket second ball to dismiss Adam Gilchrist for nought as Bangladesh held Australia to 249 for five in 50 overs with recalled seamer Tapash Baisya taking three for 69.
”I’m pretty disappointed again,” said Ponting after seeing his side suffer their third defeat of the week following Monday’s Twenty20 100 run loss against England and Wednesday’s four wicket reverse in a 50 overs per side match against Somerset.
”I probably misread the wicket early on,” added Ponting who chose to bat first after winning the toss on a pitch that offered early seam movement but became easier to bat on throughout the day as the sun beat down.
”The ball did nip around a bit early and we lost a couple of wickets early on (Australia were nine for two inside six overs after Ponting himself was lbw to Baisya for one).
”We had to try to shore things up. We did that. Damien Martyn (77) and Michael Clarke (54) played really well before Simon Katich (36 not out) and Michael Hussey (31 not out) finished it off.
”We got a total we thought would be good enough if we bowled well but it wasn’t. Ashraful played very, very well and once again we were found wanting,” explained Ponting, who also admitted this was ”easily” the worst defeat he’d been involved in.
Australia now face England at Bristol on Sunday in what could be a pivotal match in a season that climaxes with Australia looking to make it nine successive Ashes series wins in a row against their oldest rivals.
”We’ve got a short bus ride tonight and hopefully you’ll see a much better and more committed Australia side,” said Ponting who struggled to provide a coherent explanation for Saturday’s result.
”Tomorrow (Sunday) becomes a big game for us as every game does for us now.
”Bangladesh got those runs pretty easily and they controlled the run chase throughout the middle of their innings. The number one ranked team in the world against Bangladesh, it’s reasonably worrying.”
Australia saw Andrew Symonds withdrawn shortly before play began for breaking team rules and Ponting, asked if he was ”angry” with the all-rounder, replied: ”Of course and I think all of his team-mates will be as well.”
Meanwhile Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore said: ”The effects of this will reach far and wide among 140 million people.
And Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar added: ”It was fantastic man. I’m really happy. I had a call from someone in Bangladesh.
Everyone is in the street, everyone is celebrating.” – Sapa-AFP