Cricket146;s Vietnam, almost

After years of being trampled upon by the big bad guys of international cricket, Bangladesh stood up to and asked to be noticed.

After years of being trampled upon by the big bad guys of international cricket, Bangladesh stood up to and asked to be noticed. Sadly, not knowing what that required, they promptly stumbled again. It was a brave fight nonetheless and Bangladesh were a lap ahead in a two-lap race. Then they froze, winning became a burden, an unknown path and they lost their way. Some might say that is an education in itself, but few Bangladeshis will be willing to accept that.

Australia won because they knew how to win. At the end of day two, Adam Gilchrist said they were looking at ways of winning from the position they found themselves in; 145 for 6 in reply to 427. At the end of day one Bangladesh 355-5, Habibul Bashar said they wanted to bat another two sessions so that they could save it.

Sometimes we are condemned by our past and it poses a tricky question. Does winning lead to belief or does belief make a team win? Bangladesh are waiting for the former, not winning, and therefore not believing in themselves. They won8217;t get too many better chances to get out of this trap.

Indeed, for a major part of the match, they had Australia in jail and the keys in their pocket.

Australia seemed to be in a trance. At most times they make things happen, here in Fatullah, exhausted and with their minds back home, they allowed themselves to believe that things would happen. It is one of the great realities that sport teaches us: if you just turn up you get a kick up your backside.

Till Australia woke up to the reality of the challenge it seemed like it would be cricket8217;s Vietnam. The big bully against the plucky guerrilla in the latter8217;s terrain. It wasn8217;t to be, and I fear Bangladesh will get weighed down by disappointment. They now need to look ahead; rather than bury their heads and think of what might have been, they need to go out and face a new day with no runs on the scoreboard. It will not be easy but that is why you play sport.

Spare a thought for the Aussies though. Brett Lee looked like his tank only had a whiff of petrol, Hayden looked like he had done a triathlon and Gilchrist ordered mind to dictate terms to an incapacitated body.

Story continues below this ad

His 144 will go down as one of his greatest innings because it showed what man can achieve under duress. So too with Ponting, the best player in the world today and in the middle of a patch that will cause him one day, in slippers and pajamas with grandchildren by his side, to ask if it was true.

In 2001, up against a finger spinner on a turning track, he looked lost. Now, he is a champion there too as he is against pace, on green wickets and brown, in cloudy conditions and sunshine.

What a scare it was though from Bangladesh. To make 355 in a day against the world champions, even if they were exhausted, is not something to be scoffed at. It would be tempting to believe that in Shahriar Nafees they have found a player for the future but their history is one of unfulfilled promise beginning with the wildly talented but amazingly inconsistent Ashraful.

Why, Habibul Bashar himself, the best batsman this land has produced, ran a maddening single, indeed strolled one, to be run out and begin the process of turning the match Australia8217;s way.

Story continues below this ad

Now they need another opener to bat with Nafees for Javed Omar averages in the mid-twenties after many matches and they need a number six to put his head down while batting and turn his arm over occasionally. Otherwise this was the best collection of men they can, or indeed have, put out. Now if only this could be the best collection of hearts.

So, a Test match that we believed would end in three days went to five; a side that we thought would turn up to be trampled upon did the dancing for a while and the world champions spent a couple of sleepless nights against the minnows. It was beautiful while it lasted.