Brisbane a hit for Bangladesh players

Shakib Al Hasan takes a spin in a go-kart in Brisbane ahead of Bangladesh's practice match. Source: Jonathon Searle / News Corp Australia

THERE were two men and a dog at Allan Border Field for their game yesterday, but Bangladesh cricketers are loving being anonymous in Brisbane.

They really love it in the Queen Street Mall where they can wander around the shops without a single autograph hunter on their trail.

It is a different world from downtown Dhaka when even their lesser-known players are mobbed like movie stars and there are at least 40 TV cameras at every training session.

Their most recognisable player Shakib Al Hasan, who has been the world's No. 1 ranked all-rounder in all forms of cricket, can't leave his home without cricket groupies following him everywhere.

Yet in Brisbane he has been able to go about his business with no fuss as the minnows prepare for the World Cup.

Unlike Kevin Pietersen during the Ashes last summer, the Bangladesh players have been embracing the Brisbane culture.

Last Friday night, they asked their Australian liaison officer to go out for a typical Aussie feed. They ventured out to Gambaro's Steakhouse on iconic Caxton Street where the players chowed down on Angus sirloin steaks — all cooked well done.

"It is very different in Brisbane to what it is like for us back home, we have liked it very much," Shakib smiled.

"We love the passion of our fans in Bangladesh but we have been having a good time in Australia."

That passion was obvious yesterday when Queensland Cricket's twitter feed was inundated by Bangladesh fans pleading for live updates of their unofficial and low-key practice game against a Cricket Australia XI at AB Field.

"We are a nation of crazy cricket fans, that is why we may be disturbing you," one fan tweeted to Queensland Cricket.

Another tweeted: "Please, please. Give ball-by-ball update". And yet another tweeted: "More than a million people waiting for your update."

Sports bookmakers have Bangladesh at $251 to win the World Cup and those odds look about right after they were beaten by a 10th-string Australian side yesterday.

Bangladesh made 231 and the Cricket Australia invitational XI chased them down easily with Queenslander Jimmy Peirson and WA all-rounder Ashton Turner both making 78.

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