Thursday 3 January 2013

Mini-session Analysis 3rd test, Australia vs Sri Lanka SCG 2012/13

Here is the final mini-session analysis for the third test between Australia and Sri Lanka at SCG, Sydney, Australia

A mini-session is (normally) half a session, either between the start of the session and the drinks break or the drinks break and the end of the session. Occasionally a long session will have 3 mini-sessions where it will be broken up with 2 drinks breaks.

Mini-SessionScoreWinner
1-1aSri Lanka 42/1 off 13Sri Lanka
1-1bSri Lanka 38/1 off 13draw
1-2aSri Lanka 52/0 off 15Sri Lanka
1-2bSri Lanka 37/2 off 13Australia
1-3aSri Lanka 80/1 off 18Sri Lanka
1-3bSri Lanka 45/5 off 15.4Australia
2-1aAustralia 71/1 off 12Australia
2-1bAustralia 56/0 off 15Australia
2-2aAustralia 67/1 off 14Australia
2-2bAustralia 47/1 off 14Sri Lanka
2-3aAustralia 49/2 off 17Sri Lanka
2-3bAustralia 52/1 off 16Australia
3-1aAustralia 50/2 off 13Australia
3-1bAustralia 40/1 off 6Australia
Sri Lanka 18/0 off 4
3-2aSri Lanka 55/1 off 13Sri Lanka
3-2bSri Lanka 57/0 off 14Sri Lanka
3-3aSri Lanka 47/3 off 16Australia
3-3bSri Lanka 48/3 off 15Australia
4-1aSri Lanka 38/2 off 13Australia
4-1bSri Lanka 10/1 off 6.2Sri Lanka
Australia 13/1 off 5
4-2aAustralia 48/1 off 15Draw
4-2bAustralia 75/3 off 21Draw
4-3aAustralia 5/0 off 1.5N/A

Final update, click here
Australia win the match by 5 wickets and the mini-session count 11 - 8

First drinks, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 1-0

My new formula says that Sri Lanka needed 43 runs to have won that hour, by I think that given it's a green pitch, Australia have chosen 4 quicks, and then elected to bowl, to have only lost 1 wicket for 42 runs is a great start. It was also an uncharacteristically slow start from Sri Lanka. They are showing some impressive restraint. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 1-0

A good even first hour of cricket. Sri Lanka are slightly on top, but not by much. Having Thiramanne in now is probably a good thing, as he's normally an opener, and probably has the right temperament for this pitch. If the rest of the match continues to be as even as the first hour this could be a fantastic test. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 2-0

That was the first hour that was won unequivocally by a team. Sri Lanka are probably making Clarke regret his decision to bowl first. This is Jayawardene's first 50 outside Sri Lanka since 2009. He went on to score a double century that day. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 2-1

And now Australia have a good hour. Two wickets and only 37 runs, with 10 of them coming in the first over. This is a crucial partnership for Sri Lanka. If these two can last at least another 10 or 15 overs and put on at least 50 runs, they will be in a good position to unleash Chandimal on some tired bowlers. Any score over 300 is a great score if you're put in. - Mykuhl

Final drinks, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 3-1

This is a fantastic day's cricket. Sri Lanka look like they are on target for at least 350 now. Thiramanne has really paced his innings well. He was very cautious at first, at one point he had 16 off 59. He now has 90 off 145, so he has scored at a strike rate of 86 since then. Quality stuff from Sri Lanka. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 3-2

This was a really good days cricket. It had almost everything, a fierce opening spell with the batsmen being defensive, a counter-attack from the captain, a stunning innings from a recently recalled player, that was cut short by a brilliant catch, a lower order collapse and then a tail-end slog between number 10 and 11. Then it ended with the match roughly even. If anything Sri Lanka are probably slightly ahead, Australia would have probably wanted to bowl them out for less than 250 on this pitch, but they haven't made it to 300, so any advantage is only a slight one. Bring on day 2. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 2: The mini-session count is tied up, 3-3

It's interesting how a strength can sometimes be a weakness. David Warner has hit 29 runs off the 29 balls that haven't gone to the boundary. His running between the wickets has been sublime. Except for the way that he ran Ed Cowan out. To be fair to Warner there probably was a second run there, and it was probably the hesitancy that cost Cowan, but the running between the wickets has been the feature of that hour, for good and bad reasons.

It is remarkable how Warner has done this, as all 3 batsmen have had balls that they've edged or been squared up by. The bowling hasn't been as bad as 71 off 12 would indicate. It hasn't been consistent enough, but they have created some false shots. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 4-3

How many times will the bowlers trouble the batsmen before they manage to take a wicket? And how long before Rangana Herath come on? While the bowlers are asking quite a few questions, the Australian batsmen are scoring off almost every ball that isn't exactly on the mark. David Warner is really in a purple patch, this is his 5th score over 50 this season, in only 9 innings. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 5-3

Herath came on and immediately the tempo of the match changed. Dilshan has done a lot of bowling so far, and has been rewarded with the wicket of Warner. It wasn't exactly a spitting searing off break that took the inside edge and ballooned up off the pad to silly point, more a wide half-volley that Warner smashed to a fielder, but a wicket is a wicket. Australia continue to score at break-neck speed. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 5-4

Once Warner and Hughes were out, the game returned to normal test match pace. Clarke has really tried to hit Herath, while Hussey has been content to defend him. We'll see what the best tactic is, but I think Clarke has the right idea. Herath showed against New Zealand and England that if he is allowed to settle he becomes a real handful.

Australia are in the lead here, but not by much. A good spell could tilt this game very quickly back in Sri Lanka's favour. - Mykuhl

Final drinks, Day 2: The mini-session count is tied up, 5-5

Sri Lanka have managed to pull things back well here. I think Australia need about 370 to be in the lead in this match. They are probably even money to get there. However Herath is starting to look dangerous. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 6-5

Australia are in the lead, but not by much. I think chasing any more than 200 on the final day and a half will be very tricky. This test is shaping up well. It's just a pity Sri Lanka couldn't hold on for a draw in Hobart. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 7-5

A very frustrating tail wag by Australia for the Sri Lankans. There isn't much that drops the head like not being able to get the bowlers out. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 8-5

What a fantastic knock by Matthew Wade. There is a real art to batting with the tail, and Matthew Wade did it very well. Jackson Bird will go off the field feeling good about having guided Wade through to his 100. Australia are in the lead now, Sri Lanka will need to bat very well now to set the right sort of target. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 8-6

When I first saw Karunaratne I though he looked like a player who I was going to get some real pleasure out of watching in the future. Today he looks like he is in the mood. If he keeps batting like this he could swing this match very quickly in Sri Lanka's favour. This game is starting to look like one that we may remember for a long time. A depleted Sri Lankan attack fighting hard and really taking the match to Australia. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 8-7

Sri Lanka are almost back to being level. Not just in terms of runs scored, but also in terms of the position in the match. The one concern that they will have is that the pitch doesn't seem to be breaking up as much as they would have hoped. Sri Lanka will probably need a lead of at least 250. That will be a tricky target for Australia to chase against the trickery of Herath. - Mykuhl

Final drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 9-7

A good hour from Australia. There have been calls for Jayawardene to retire. His last 15 innings have come at an average of 23.5 and he's generally struggled outside of Sri Lanka in recent years (leading into this test he'd averaged less than 18 away from home since 2010). Now is the time for him to send a message that it's not time just yet. He needs a big score. However it won't be easy. The Australians have managed to get the ball reversing, and conditions are not easy. Sri Lanka need this partnership between Matthews and Jayawardene to be a big one. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 10-7

And in the space of 2 hours the game goes from being very even to being very much Australia's to lose. This partnership now takes on epic importance for Sri Lanka, given that they only have two Chris Marinesque batsmen to come. While the last two put on 21 runs for the final wicket in the first innings, there was probably only 2 balls where either of them looked like they even knew which end of the bat they were supposed to hold.

The Australian bowling has been very effective. Once they got the ball reversing they have asked a lot of questions that the Sri Lankans really didn't have any answers for.

The day ended with a nice touch from Michael Clarke, giving the ball to Michael Hussey to bowl. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 4: Australia lead the mini-session count 11-7

At the end of day 4, Dimuth Karunaratne indicated that a lead of 150-175 might be a good enough to be relatively competitive, given that the pitch is taking turn. Unfortunately, after some resistance initially, Herath and then Lakmal, to a shot which is the definition of agricultural, did not appear to feel the same way. Chandimal reached a well deserved 50 with some excellent and intelligent counter attacking with the tail which swelled the lead to a respectable 125. If Sri Lanka are to have any chance of setting Australia a decent target you would have to think that they need to bat at least until lunch. With only 1 wicket left, it's still Australia's game to lose - Damith

Lunch, Day 4: Australia lead the mini-session count 11-8

Sri Lanka got within 30 minutes to lunch with some defiant batting from Pradeep and further excellence from Chandimal. However, with Pradeep playing and missing more often than not, the second ball of the 2nd new ball put paid to the 12 over 41 run 10th wicket stand. With a target of only 140, Sri Lanka opened the bowling with Dilshan but it was the unlikely Lakmal who picked up David Warner for a first ball duck in the second over. Cowan and Hughes then took Australia to lunch with Sri Lanka knowing that it will only take one decent partnership to finish their game. Twitter was a flurry with a 118 run chase of Australia v SA where Australia were bowled out for 111 with Fannie De Villers taking 5. A repeat today against this Sri Lankan attack is highly unlikely - Damith

Middle drinks, Day 4: Australia lead the mini-session count 11-8

The first half of the hour easily belonged to Australia as Hughes and Cowan slowly built the partnership. Sri Lanka were unfathomably still bowling Lakmal, The only reason that makes any sense was to rough up the ball to the spinners. Mahela eventually brought on Herath which immediately made an impact when he troubled the Australians and when Mahela called for Dilshan, the double spin option worked well for Sri Lanka and fetched Hughes' wicket, following a brilliant over from Herath. The umpiring on this tour continued to be poor as something that looked plumb LBW was not given again. And a Mahela Jaywardene was visibly frustrated when he saw the replay following the overturning of the not out decision. Micheal Clarke smashed his first ball off Herath for four and he signaled his intention in not being tied down by the spinners. Cowan looked a bit at sea vs the spin which does not bode well for his Indian tour. Although it was an hour of even fortunes, Australia are only 80 adrift now and closing in on the whitewash. - Damith

Tea, Day 4: Australia lead the mini-session count 11-8

Australia have done enough in that hour to be closing in on the win, but Sri Lanka have not made it easy for them. Dilshan has done a good job for a part timer, but it's hard not to wonder how Randiv would have gone on this pitch. It would take something incredible for Sri Lanka to win from here, but sometimes when a quality spinner bowls to tail-enders incredible things happen. - Mykuhl

End of the match, Day 4: Australia take the mini-session count 11-8

A good win for Australia, but it's hard not to wonder what would have been if there was 50 more runs required. Australia deservedly win the series 3-0, but Sri Lanka can hold their heads high for the way they have dealt with such a horrendous injury toll and have continued to improve and fight. An extra couple of hours batting in Hobart and then an extra 50 runs here and the series could have been 1-1, but the essence of a good team is one that takes their opportunities. Australia are now a very good team, and they have clearly progressed from the South African tour. - Mykuhl

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