CARDIFF, June 18: Bangladesh produced arguably the biggest One-day International shock in history on Saturday as they beat Australia’s world champions by five wickets in their triangular series match.

In reply to Australia’s 249 for five, Mohammad Ashraful scored a run-a-ball century, only the second ever scored in one-dayers by a Bangladeshi, but then holed out next ball, in the deep off Jason Gillespie with 23 needed off the last three overs.

A couple of fortunate fours made it 13 required off the final 12 balls and tailender Mohammad Rafique then sliced Glenn McGrath, the world’s premier fast bowler, for a four past point.

Seven were needed off the final over from Gillespie only for Aftab Ahmed to launch his first ball for six over long on before the pair scampered a run off the next delivery to spark a pitch invasion.

Australia, who surprisingly opted to bat on a pitch offering early seam movement against the lowest-ranked one-day side in the ICC table, had never looked settled after losing vice-captain Adam Gilchrist off the second ball of the match and his skipper Ricky Ponting for a single.

Their total sill looked enough against the lowest-ranked one-day side until Ashraful and skipper Habibul Bashar, who made 47, put on 130 in 22 overs for the fourth wicket to produce a grandstand finish.

Before the start Australia had been ranked at 100-1 ON to beat Bangladesh, who England had thrashed in their Test series before annihilating them by 10 wickets in the opening one-dayer of the tournament on Thursday.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA:

A.C. Gilchrist lbw b Mashrafe 0

M.L. Hayden b Nazmul 37

R.T. Ponting lbw b Baisya 1

D.R. Martyn c Nafis b Baisya 77

M.J. Clarke c Mashrafe b Baisya 54

M.E.K. Hussey not out 31

S.M. Katich not out 36

EXTRAS (LB-3, W-2, NB-8) 13

TOTAL (for five wkts, 50 overs) 249

FALL OF WKTS: 1-0, 2-9, 3-57, 4-165, 5-183.

DID NOT BAT: G.B. Hogg, J.N. Gillespie, M.S. Kasprowicz, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Mashrafe Mortaza 10-2-33-1 (1w); Tapash Baisya 10-1-69-3 (7nb); Nazmul Hossain 10-2-65-1; Mohammad Rafique 10-0-31-0 (1w); Aftab Ahmed 10-0-48-0.

BANGLADESH:

Javed Omar c Hayden b Kasprowicz 19

Nafis Iqbal c Gilchrist b Gillespie 8

Tushar Imran c Katich b Hogg 24

Mohammad Ashraful c Hogg b Gillespie 100

Habibul Bashar run out 47

Aftab Ahmed not out 21

Mohammad Rafique not out 9

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-11, W-6, NB-4) 22

TOTAL (for five wickets, 49.2 overs) 250

FALL OF WKTS: 1-17, 2-51, 3-72, 4-202, 5-227.

DID NOT BAT: Khaled Mashud, Tapash Baiysa, Mashrafe Mortaza, Nazmul Hossain.

BOWLING: McGrath 10-1-43-0 (2nb); Gillespie 9.2-1-41-2 (2w); Kasprowicz 10-0-40-1 (2nb); Hogg 9-0-52-1 (1w); Clarke 6-0-38-0 (1w); Hussey 5-0-24-0.

UMPIRES: D.R. Shepherd (England) and B.F. Bowden (New Zealand).

TV UMPIRE: M.R. Benson (England).

MATCH REFEREE: J.J. Crowe (New Zealand).

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Mohammad Ashraful.

NEXT MATCH: England v Australia at Bristol on Sunday.—Agencies