OPTIMISM scaled unparalleled heights this sporting week and no, it wasn't that which reverberated in Turkey as Liverpool fans chorused 'we're gonna win 4-3' while trailing 3-0 at half-time to AC Milan.

There was an even greater outbreak of hope in your heart. Take a bow, the man who scheduled the television programming of the opening cricket test of the summer, the mis-match that pitted England against the touring Bangladesh team. He, whoever it is, must be the eternal optimist.

According to the listings, yesterday was to be the final day of the Test from Lord's complimented by live television coverage on Channel 4. We all know by now that the collision was all over in less than half of its allotted five days.

By lunchtime on Saturday the Bangladeshis were sent scurrying to an overpowering innings and loads of runs defeat.

The dubious duel was akin to Michael Schumacher's Ferrari pitted against Howard's bicycle from Last of the Summer Wine. It was like Amir Khan taking on Chaka Khan. It was on the scale of Kelly Holmes being challenged to a quick mile around the block by Eamonn Holmes.

No contest, no danger, no sweat. And no point?

Well, the two-test npower series between England and Bangladesh - it resumes this Friday in Durham, possibly concluding before the next Sabbath is out, provided it doesn't rain - has been slaughtered in many areas of the media.

A farce and nonsensical are some of the kinder adjectives used.

But why? Any team striving to improve itself has surely got to take on superior opposition. The Bangladeshis are never going to increase their status in the world of cricket unless they can cross willow and trade leather with more advantaged and able adversaries.

Where else should they play? Against archery-masters Bhutan, perhaps, or travel to Greenland, where coloured kit has to be the norm? No point donning whites there.

Maybe they should peruse Peru or scan Canada.

On second thoughts, the Bangladeshis are where they should be. I mean, before the last three years or so, England were well versed in playing three-day Test cricket anyway as they succumbed to their betters too often for comfort.

Seriously, yes, it was always going to be a given victory for captain Michael Vaughan and his charges. New England - forged by coach Duncan Fletcher, skipper Vaughan and his predecessor Nasser Hussain into a more combative unit - would not only have had to have an off day, they would have to have taken at least two days off for their humble visitors to have made any inroads on a possible victory.

But further off in summer's horizon awaits the arrival of the Australians for the Ashes. England, honed at long last in the art of winning, need to ensure confidence levels are at the most bristling in order to take on the world's most successful cricket nation.

No point encountering the Aussies with brittle nerves and fragile poise.

And the point of sport surely is all about minnows muscling in on the mighty.

That's how England will be against the men from Down Under because, until we can best the colonial boys, we will remain second-class in the first-class game.

So go on lads, fill your boots - the Aussies are coming.

Updated: 09:16 Tuesday, May 31, 2005