Minnows must lift - Ponting

[Sean]

Cricinfo staff March 28, 2007 Ricky Ponting believes Bangladesh and Ireland will need to improve on their group-match efforts to be competitive in the Super Eights. Australia play Bangladesh at Antigua on Saturday and Ponting is hoping there will not be a repeat of the 2005 match at Cardiff when Bangladesh upset the world champions by five wickets. Ponting said he was surprised Ireland and Bangladesh had progressed at the expense of Pakistan and India but he said they deserved their places. "I don't know if it makes it any easier," Ponting told the Herald Sun. "The teams that have made it through obviously deserve to get there. They have won the games they have had to do to make it through to that stage. "I guess there are a couple of nations that have made it through that you mightn't have expected. It's just up to the other sides to make sure they play well and probably up to those smaller nations to make sure they lift their standards as well and make the games they play fairly competitive." Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, said his side was desperate to prove they were not simply making up numbers. "That is something we don't want to be named all the time - minnows, minnows, minnows," Bashar said in The Age. "But it's natural because we've only just started beating the big teams. "If we keep beating the big guns consistently, they will have to call us something else. We beat Australia once and that gave us confidence. We know they are not unbeatable. World Cup matches will be tougher but we have a feeling we can beat anyone now." Bashar said having now played two Test series against Ponting's men, there would be no repeat of the 2003 tour of Australia when some Bangladesh players were over-awed by their opposition. "They are just another team," he said. "Definitely no one will be going for autographs any more." © Cricinfo

That last line is good. They dont want to play the Aussies for fun. They want to play to win.

[OZGOD]

Making the Super 8 is a huge confidence lift for Bangladesh. Now they need to remain focused and not think that the job is done.

[infamous9383]

I can see bangladesh beating Ireland and maybe England but beyond that, they don't have much of a chance.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by infamous9383 I can see bangladesh beating Ireland and maybe England but beyond that, they don't have much of a chance.

Just keep in mind what Kenya did last World Cup.

[Asim2Good]

b careful Ponting, once you questioned their (Bangladesh) test status too and they nearly beat u in test match

[Sean]

Has he forgotten that they beat us 2 years ago? And alot of the people in that Aussie team are in this team.

[infamous9383]

Originally Posted by Sean Just keep in mind what Kenya did last World Cup.

their only quality win was against Sri Lanka, they got in pretty much because of the NZ walkover game.

[Moudi]

Cricinfo is just doing what they always do, and making the story sound bigger than it is. Look at the heading for example "Minnows must lift". And then look at what he actually said : "It's just up to the other sides to make sure they play well and probably up to those smaller nations to make sure they lift their standards as well and make the games they play fairly competitive." . Shane Watson actually went as far as to compliment them - more than once (Source - http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/...761444745.html)

[James]

Bangladesh will lose most of the games but it is very big for them to get to this stage, so too Ireland. I see positives in these two sides getting through and congratulate their fans.

[Cricket Meri Jaan]

Go on Bangladesh !!!

[Cricket Meri Jaan]

Habibul Bashar, the Bangladesh captain, said his side was desperate to prove they were not simply making up numbers. "That is something we don't want to be named all the time - minnows, minnows, minnows," Bashar said in The Age. "But it's natural because we've only just started beating the big teams.

"If we keep beating the big guns consistently, they will have to call us something else. We beat Australia once and that gave us confidence. We know they are not unbeatable. World Cup matches will be tougher but we have a feeling we can beat anyone now."

Bashar said having now played two Test series against Ponting's men, there would be no repeat of the 2003 tour of Australia when some Bangladesh players were over-awed by their opposition. "They are just another team," he said. "Definitely no one will be going for autographs any more."

[Jayed]

thats the fight. we lack that.

[12thMan]

BD also beat NZ in the warm ups. it will be very tough for them to progress as they don't bring any points from first round. Bang might win a game or two and that is still a positive sign for them and the team will benefit from the experience of playing 5 top teams

[Vegitto1]

Bangla will kick Aussies ****