Cardiff debacle fires Ponting (AUS)
By Jon Pierik
Ricky Ponting will revisit his worst nightmare to ensure complacency is not an issue when Australia faces emerging nation Bangladesh in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super Eights match tonight.
Ponting's darkest day in his 13-year international career came against Bangladesh in a limited-overs match at Cardiff in 2005, when the Tigers beat the world champions by five wickets.
Chasing 250 for victory, a century by Mohammad Ashraful pushed Bangladesh to victory on a day when Andrew Symonds turned up to the ground drunk and was removed from the team.
Australia has beaten the Asian nation in five matches since that debacle, but the embarrassment of that defeat still lingers and was spoken about in the pre-match team meeting.
"It was the worst loss I have been involved in, there's no doubt about that," Ponting said.
"A lot to do with that day was just that issue which happened that morning (with Symonds).
"I know I went out to bat and I had all sorts of things going through my head when I was out there batting. I know some of the other guys probably were a fair bit in the same boat.
"We got about 250 batting first, which was always going to be under par against them on that wicket, and they happened to bat really well.
"We dropped a few catches as well. That day was just one of those days that you have to learn from and forget about as quickly as you can.
"I actually said that game and the first final loss to England this year in Melbourne were two of the most disappointing games I have played in."
Coached by savvy Australian Dav Whatmore, who led Sri Lanka to ICC CWC glory in 1996, Bangladesh advanced to the second phase of a ICC Cricket World Cup for the first time by way of its five-wicket win against India.
Left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak has been in fine form with seven wickets, including 3-38 against India and the scalp of a fading Sachin Tendulkar.
Aggressive young fast bowler Mashrafe Mortaza, who has improved immensely by working with West Indies great Andy Roberts, added four wickets that day and will be a threat tonight at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Skipper Habibul Bashar said his team had a point to prove.
"There were people who doubted our ability and this is our chance to prove things," Bashar said. "We're not here to make up the numbers."
Australia, seeking its 23rd consecutive ICC CWC win, has prepared in detail for this match against a young team clearly on the rise.
"They improved quite dramatically from that game in Cardiff even though they beat us," Ponting said.
"When we saw them and went back to Bangladesh for the Test matches and the one-dayers (last year), they were a lot more competitive then than they had been in the games we had played them in the past.
"They could have almost won the first Test match over there and then the one-dayers.
"In their conditions, with the spinners bowling the way they do, and their batsmen liking slow, low wickets, you have to play well to beat them. You just have to look at the way they played India. They are essentially a nation on the way up."
AFP
Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar has said his side still believe they have it in them to upset another of cricket's major powers at this ICC CWC.
In the group stages, Bangladesh's five-wicket defeat of India effectively ended the 1983 champions' participation in the tournament.
But Bangladesh face their toughest test of the competition so far here Saturday when, in their Super Eight opener, they take on world champions Australia, who have swept all before them as they chase a third straight ICC CWC title.
However, Bangladesh head into the match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium knowing that two years ago they caused the greatest upset in one-day international cricket history with a five-wicket defeat of Australia.
"We had a team talk and I heard from all the boys they think they are not finished yet. They want to do something in the Super Eights as well," said Bashar.
Bashar, one of six survivors in the Bangladesh side from that memorable match in Cardiff, including century-maker Mohammad Ashraful, believes the team he leads now is better equipped even though they have since lost five one-dayers against Ricky Ponting's men.
Asked if Bangladesh could beat Australia again, Bashar replied: "I think so. I think if we can do it, it will not be a great surprise.
"It's going to be very tough but we believe it is not an impossible task," added batsman Bashar, whose team's triumph in the Welsh capital remains their only victory in 12 one-dayers against Australia.
"The team has got a lot of performers these days. At the moment we are beating some top guns.
"We beat New Zealand in a warm-up game and we had a good win against India. We now strongly believe that if we play together, we can beat anyone."
Bashar, 34, is leading one of the youngest teams at this ICC CWC. For example, opening batsman Tamim Iqbal, who made 51 against India, only turned 18 earlier this month.
And their captain said Bangladesh's lack of experience has given the side a fearlessness they might not otherwise have.
"Sometimes when you play a team like India, if you think too much, plan too much, it is not going to happen. It's better to go out there with a positive mind and play whatever you can. Don't think too much, that's what we're planning to do."
And he said he'd be happy to see the likes of Iqbal going down the pitch to take on Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath. "I hope so. That's what we're banking on."
Looking ahead, Bashar said there was less pressure now on Bangladesh than in the first round where, after losing to fellow qualifiers Sri Lanka following their win against India, they had to beat minnows Bermuda to secure their place in the Super Eights.
"Everyone has been saying the Super Eights will be tougher but I believe the first round was tougher for us because every game we played was like our last game. But in the Super Eights we will have a chance to play six games."
Bangladesh are not the only team to have caused an upset at this ICC CWC. Ireland's defeat of Pakistan sent the 1992 winners crashing out of the tournament and Bashar said such results were good for cricket as a whole.
"The performances of Ireland and Bangladesh show that cricket is getting bigger and that teams who are not at the top of the rankings can still do something in this competition."
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