And a day after that famous win Mohammad Ashraful, whose brilliant hundred propelled Bangladesh to go past Australia's 249, said that he was still in a reverie.

"I was so excited that I could not sleep last night. We sang, danced and had a lot of fun together", said the little right-hander while getting on the team bus to travel to Nottingham where Bangladesh will play their third NatWest series match against hosts England at Trent Bridge on June 21.

The 21-year-old, spotted as the brightest talent when he traveled with the Under-19 side to Sri Lanka in 2000 where Mohammad Kaif and Youvraj Singh played for India, said that he wanted to put his 100 against Australia ahead of his Test ton on debut against Sri Lanka and the magnificent 158 against India at Chittagong in December last year.

"This is the best innings of my life. My two Test hundreds also came in difficult situations but a century against the likes of McGrath, Gillespie and Kasprowicz is very special," said the boy wonder born and brought up in Dhaka.

His 100 against the Aussies was significant in more ways then one. He walked with his trusted bat with painful memories of a first-ball-duck in the previous match against England.

"I was nervous when I faced the first ball from Brad Hogg and I still wonder how it got past the bat and pad. I also felt a bit of pressure at the start but once I middled a delivery from Kasprowicz I got my confidence back."

Ashraful's 100 off as many balls was the second ton by a Bangladeshi after Mehrab Hossain did it against Zimbabwe in Dhaka in 2001. But Ashraful has hardly done justice to his abilities with a poor average of 16.50 and a score of 759 runs in his previous 49 ODI appearance. Being a technically sound batsman with an array of shots which he showed against Australia, the soft-spoken right-hander has always caved in after hitting a big hundred.

"But I'm fully focused this time and working very hard not to let that happen again", he said.

While Ashraful was the toast of Bangladesh's greatest success, the contribution of 47 by skipper Habibul Bashar in a 130-run fourth wicket stand was no less impressive.

Bashar for a change played the role of a senior statesman and guided the team close to victory not only against Australia but also in the practice one-day match against Worcestershire.

"I'm really enjoying my new found role. It is true that my presence always inspires others to do well. I did a lot of talking with Ashraful and told him not to think of the target or winning the game. We had focused on taking four and five runs an over and it was coming without any risks," said the most successful Bangladesh captain, who has had seven wins under his belt in the last 15 months.

But Bashar admitted he never thought of defeating Australia even after restricting the world champions for 249.

"To be honest I have never though of defeating Australia. But after Ashraful and I had put on that partnership I started to believe and when I got out I just told Aftab to stay at the wicket and don't try to hit every ball," said the 32-year-old Bashar.

Aftab did not let his captain and the millions back home down. He finished the chase in style hitting the first ball in the last over for a massive six over widish mid-wicket.

"When the last over came and we needed seven runs it reminded me of South Africa's debacle in the final over in the World Cup against Australia. I made up my mind that if I was going to do anything, I will have to do it in the first two deliveries," said the aggressive right-hander from Chittagong.

"Gillespie was bowling slower deliveries and with the fine leg up and a deep third man in place I was expecting another slower delivery. So, I swung my bat. I could feel that I hit it with middle of my bat and closed my eyes because I knew that no one will be able to stop that," recalled Aftab about his magnificent six.