Australia will be overwhelming favourites, weather permitting, to make it 19 wins out 20 one-day internationals against Bangladesh when the World Cup co-hosts face the Tigers in Brisbane on Saturday.

After all, Australia cemented their status as World Cup favourites with a 111-run thrashing of England in their tournament opener last weekend while Bangladesh are one of Test cricket's perennial makeweights.

But if anyone within the Australia camp is the least bit complacent, perhaps they should ask current captain Michael Clarke for his memories of a match against Bangladesh in Cardiff in 2005.

For however strongly tipped Australia are to win this weekend, they are unlikely to be a shorter price than the odds of 500-1 offered by one London bookmaker ahead of their ODI with Bangladesh in the Welsh capital nearly nine years ago -- a match they lost sensationally by five wickets despite a side featuring Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath.

It was the 2,250th ODI ever played and it's doubtful if any of the preceding 2,249 caused a bigger upset.

The match was an extraordinary in more ways than one.

For a start, it was a blisteringly hot day -- nothing exceptional in Brisbane but a comparative rarity at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens ground.

- 'Off the Richter scale' –

Before play started, Australia had to deal with the disruption caused by the decision to drop Andrew Symonds after the all-rounder's alcohol-fuelled night out.

Ponting won the toss and opted to bat only for Mashrafe Mortaza -- now Bangladesh's captain -- to dismiss Gilchrist lbw with his second ball.

Ponting managed just one run before Tapash Baisya exploited his habit of falling across his stumps early on, leaving Australia nine for two.  

Damien Martyn (77) and Clarke (54) took Australia to a total of 249 for five and that looked more than enough when Bangladesh were 81 for three after 25 overs.

But Mohammad Ashraful, whose mother had worried about her slightly-built son taking on the physically imposing Australians, scored a run-a-ball century to take Bangladesh to the brink of victory before a scrambled single completed only their tenth win in 108 ODIs.

Mortaza, recalling his memories of the match, said Tuesday: "That was a great moment for us, both Bangladesh cricket and our supporters because Australia had the best team at that time.  

"Ashraful's was a good hundred. It was a long time back still -- I'm the only survivor -- so we can't think about it now."

Ponting, speaking immediately after the match, was in no doubt, however, about the enormity of Bangladesh's win.

"This is probably one of the biggest upsets in the history of cricket, and my worst defeat as captain," said Ponting.

After Ashraful holed out, Aftab Ahmed -- little taller -- struck the first ball of Jason Gillespie's final over for six to level the scores.  

Dav Whatmore, the Bangladesh coach and former Australian Test batsman who is now with Zimbabwe, said the whole team were "jumping up and down when that six was hit".  

They were not alone with former England batsman and coach David Lloyd, commentating for Sky Sports, summing up shock of Bangladesh's victory by saying: "On the Richter scale, it's off the scale."