Mini-session Analysis 1st test SL Ban Galle 2013

Here is the final mini-session analysis for the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka

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-Session	Score	Winner
1-1a	Sri Lanka 60/0 off 11	Sri Lanka
1-1b	Sri Lanka 72/1 off 15	Sri Lanka
1-2a	Sri Lanka 55/1 off 15	Sri Lanka
1-2b	Sri Lanka 60/0 off 18	Sri Lanka
1-3a	Sri Lanka 64/1 off 17	Sri Lanka
1-3b	Sri Lanka 50/0 off 9.3	Sri Lanka
2-1a	Sri Lanka 32/1 off 17.3	Bangladesh
2-1b	Sri Lanka 68/0 off 15	Sri Lanka
2-2a	Sri Lanka 97/0 off 14	Sri Lanka
2-2b	Sri Lanka 12/0 off 3	Sri Lanka
	Bangladesh 23/1 off 9
2-3a	Bangladesh 42/1 off 15	draw
2-3b	Bangladesh 70/0 off 19	Bangladesh
3-1a	Bangladesh 49/2 off 14	Sri Lanka
3-1b	Bangladesh 40/0 off 16	Bangladesh
3-2a	Bangladesh 61/0 off 17	Bangladesh
3-2b	Bangladesh 45/0 off 16	Bangladesh
3-3a	Bangladesh 56/0 off 18	Bangladesh
3-3b	Bangladesh 52/0 off 12	Bangladesh
4-1a	Bangladesh 45/1 off 15	draw
4-1b	Bangladesh 63/0 off 15	Bangladesh
4-2a	Bangladesh 43/2 off 14	Sri Lanka
4-2b	Bangladesh 49/3 off 16	Sri Lanka
4-3a	Sri Lanka 44/1 off 12	Sri Lanka
4-3b	Sri Lanka 72/0 off 18	Sri Lanka
5-1a	Sri Lanka 51/0 off 14	Sri Lanka
5-1b	Sri Lanka 63/0 off 16	Sri Lanka
5-2a	Sri Lanka 53/2 off 16	Bangladesh
5-2b	Sri Lanka 52/1 off 7	draw
5-3a	Bangladesh 51/1 off 15	Bangladesh

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Sri Lanka take the mini-session count 16 - 10

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

Sri Lanka have started off with a hiss and a roar. Dilshan is treating it almost like a T20 match. This could get messy. - Mykuhl

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

A wicket fell, 72 runs were scored, but for me the highlight was when Karunaratne came back out at the fall of the first wicket. I really enjoy watching him bat, and wasn't very happy with the idea of him not being able to play. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 3-0

I have watched an entire ODI series where there was not a single innings that went at this run rate. Sri Lanka going at slightly more than a run a minute, despite Bangladesh bowling less than 14 overs per hour. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 1: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 6-0

Sri Lanka roll on. They have scored at over 4 an over, and more than a run a minute. Sangakkara was immense, as usual. When he's in Sri Lanka he is just outstanding. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 6-1

A good hour for Bangladesh, but it could have been a very good hour as Chandimal was dropped twice. How costly could that be. He's not a batsman that you really want to give extra chances to as he is really capable of punishing teams. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 7-1

Normal service resumes. Bangladesh spend another hour chasing leather. It might be a reflection of the quality of the bowling and batting, but this pitch doesn't seem to have offered a fair enough contest between bat and ball. With Sri Lanka having Eranga in their team and Bangladesh's batting being dominated by right handers, it might have been more sensible for the groundsman to have left some more grass on the wicket. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 8-1

It seemed like a bad idea at the time to drop Chandimal. It now seems like a very, very bad idea. Sri Lanka are giving the Bangladeshi bowlers what some people pay a dominatrix a lot of money for. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 9-1

The declaration was probably slightly earlier than normal, but 570 runs is probably going to be enough. Bangladesh are going to have to bat very well here. They are already one down, and it was Eranga that struck. He seems to have added something to his bowling in this innings, bowling a little quicker, and getting some to move in, rather than out. He may well be turning into a genuinely classy test opening bowler. Hopefully the Sri Lankan groundsmen don't work him into the ground by giving him too many mud pitches to bowl on. - Mykuhl

Final drinks, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 9-1

It would have been Bangladesh's hour if it wasn't for the last ball where Anamul Haque was deceived by a Mendis googly. As a bowler who never quite had enough control to rely on a stock delivery, and so bowled a number of variations, I do like it when Mendis gets a wicket, especially when it's with a googly. The batsman sets up for the off break, notices that the ball's actually been delivered with a leg-break action, so adjusts, only for it to come in anyway. It's a brilliant double cross by the bowler. However, it only works if the batsman is watching closely, but not quite closely enough. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 9-2

An interesting hour there. Ashraful was going for it in order to get through to his fifty. He had 54 off 68 balls, but then went into his shell, and actually started playing like a test batsman who wanted to see out the day. He scored only 11 runs off the last 40 balls. If he continues to bat like a batsman, and has some success it might actually (finally) be the making of him. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 3: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 10-2

When Mahmadullah played as a bowler, the thing that really impressed me was how serious he was about his batting. He approached it like a real batsman, waiting for the right ball to hit, knowing his areas. It was something that most of the Bangladeshi batsmen couldn't really be accused of. Now that he's primarily playing as a batsman he comes down the track and has a wild heave fifth ball. I guess if he was going to bat like a batsman when he was a bowler, he probably felt he could bat like a bowler now that he is a batsman. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 3: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 10-3

Mohammad Ashraful is playing the sort of innings that we've been waiting to see. Not a swashbuckling run-a-minute flight of fancy, but a proper innings where he punishes the bad balls, and accumulates when the ball is in his area. It's all rather exciting, even if it has 45 test after he should have. I guess it's better late than never. Hopefully this innings informs how he plays from now on. - Mykuhl

Middle drinks, Day 3: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 10-4

This is good cricket from Bangladesh. They are fighting hard. Mushfiqur Rahim is a real fighter with the bat. In his last 10 innings this is the 7th time he's made it past 35. He's not prepared to throw his wicket away. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 3: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 10-5

Sri Lanka are not bowling particularly badly. They have had some bad luck, with a number of balls going past the edge. While this partnership is fantastic, it still feels like a devastating collapse is possible any second now. - Mykuhl

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

This is now Bangladesh's highest partnership, Ashraful has the highest score by any Bangladeshi batsman, and Mushfiqur Rahim is only 6 runs off second spot. Bangladesh are now in a position where they might even be able to consider declaring behind, to make Sri Lanka give them a target. They wouldn't want to do that until they have some more runs on the board, and have used up some time, but an attacking option like that may be a very good one for their future. - Mykuhl

Stumps, Day 4: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 14-8

Bangladesh managed to bat themselves into what looks like a no-lose position. Unfortunately it's also probably a no win position also. Perhaps the decision of the board to offer draw bonuses was a good one. Suddenly there is an incentive for their players to play for time, and, in putting a value on their wicket, they started to look like a proper test team. They still have a lot to thank the groundsman for, but they have folded on good batting tracks in the past, so it's good to see them actually applying themselves. - Mykuhl

First drinks, Day 5: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 15-8

Another hour of bowlers getting dealt to. It's not like the Sri Lankan batsmen are slogging, or going particularly crazily. It's just that they are scoring 30% faster than normal test batsmen would, and doing it without many risks. - Mykuhl

Lunch, Day 5: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 16-8

Another relentless hour of Sri Lanka batting. They have now scored 800 runs for the loss of 5 wickets. To put that in context, Bangladesh just had their best ever innings, and scored 638 runs for 10 wickets. If Sri Lanka keep batitng at this rate for another 14 overs then declare, Bangladesh would need to get 222 runs off 44 overs. Bangldesh have a history of crumbling in run chases, so that might be an option that Mathews might consider. Sometimes you need to use some bait if you want to catch a fish. - Mykuhl

Tea, Day 5: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 16-9

Sri Lanka batted well in this match, but they have batted the result out of contention. Baring a miracle new ball spell from Kulasekera and Eranga, Bangladesh will hold on for a draw, but they are not going to chase this target. - Mykuhl

End of the match, Day 5: Sri Lanka take the mini-session count 16-10, but the match is drawn.

Bangladesh get a creditable draw. Sri Lanka could have made a game of it by declaring at drinks. However if they wanted to do that they should have come out and really attacked the bowling during that hour between lunch and drinks.

There's no dishonour in the draw for either team, but there are questions over both teams heading into the next match. Can Sri Lanka improve their execution, take their missed chances and find a way through the Bangladesh line-up? For Bangladesh: can they back up one good performance with another?

Whatever happens, I hope the groundsman is going to prepare a pitch with some life in it at Premadasa. - Mykuhl

A tale of two bowlers

I was chatting to someone yesterday, and mentioned that I thought Shaminda Eranga was the real deal. That we might be looking back and say "I saw him at the start of his career." Not long after I said that he was smacked at more than 6 an over by the Australian openers. Fortunately I had put a caveat when I was chatting. I said "but he's still not very good against left handers. He looks amazing against right handers."

He seems to get a little swing, but then seam movement away from the right handers. The small bit of swing means that the batsmen start to follow the ball with their hands, and then he takes the edge with the seam movement. He doesn't swing it enough that they play and leave, but rather just enough to draw them into the shot. (Most balls seem to only swing about 5 cm - it's the movement off the seam that makes him dangerous). However against the left handers this small swing means that if it's straight, they tend to defend it, and if it seams back, they just hit an inside edge into their pads.

So I thought I'd go through his (brief) career so far and see if my feeling is correct. Here are Shaminda Eranga's test statistics against right and left handed batsmen (prior to the Melbourne test):

Hand	Average	Strike Rate	Economy Rate
Right	24.00	39.4	3.65
Left	101.50	195.0	3.12

There is a significant difference.

Of players who have bowled in at least 20 matches, the best strike rate ever is Sid Barnes, with 41.6. Next is Dale Steyn with 42.0 and the Waqar Younis with 43.4. Eranga to right handers has a better strike rate than any of these.

However the other end of the tail we see a bunch of part timers. With a strike rate in the region of 195 are the likes of Shivnarine Chanerpaul (193.3) and Geoff Howarth (204.6). Even Geoffrey Boycott had a bowling strike rate of 134.8. These are good people to be compared to if you are talking about defensive technique when batting, but not so much if you're talking about bowling.

If Eranga wants to make the most of his obvious talent, he will need to figure out how to bowl to lefties. He is a fantastic prospect for Sri Lanka, but they can't keep picking him if he's going to be two bowlers: Steyn to the right-handers but Boycott to the left handers.

Mini-session Analysis Sri Lanka vs NZ, Galle, 2012/13

Here is the final mini-session analysis for the first test between Sri Lanka and New Zealand at Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri Lanka

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-Session	Score	Winner
1-1a	New Zealand 45/3 off 12	Sri Lanka
1-1b	New Zealand 35/0 off 16	New Zealand
1-2a	New Zealand 52/1 off 17	New Zealand
1-2b	New Zealand 23/2 off 15.3	Sri Lanka
1-3a	New Zealand 51/2 off 16.3	Sri Lanka
1-3b	New Zealand 15/2 off 5.5	draw
	Sri Lanka 9/1 off 5
2-1a	Sri Lanka 41/4 off 11	New Zealand
2-1b	Sri Lanka 55/0 off 14	Sri Lanka
2-2a	Sri Lanka 55/0 off 13	Sri Lanka
2-2b	Sri Lanka 30/0 off 14	Sri Lanka
2-3a	Sri Lanka 28/2 off 12	New Zealand
2-3b	Sri Lanka 29/3 off 11.2	New Zealand
	New Zealand 35/1 off 10
3-1a	New Zealand 20/2 off 13	Sri Lanka
3-1b	New Zealand 41/5 off 14	Sri Lanka
3-2a	New Zealand 22/2 off 7.1	Sri Lanka
	Sri Lanka 58/0 off 13
3-2b	Sri Lanka 35/0 off 5.3	Sri Lanka

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

New Zealand decided to attack the bowling, and it generally looked like a good idea. What they didn't count on was the superb bowling of Shaminda Eranga. He picked up 2 wickets in three balls to defensive shots. Both were fantastic deliveries that bounced sharply and moved both in the air and off the pitch.

Ross Taylor, however, managed to (again) play a cover drive to a wide ball and edge it into his stumps. I grew up watching Ken Rutherford batting, and saw him cut the ball into his stumps in seemingly half his innings. Ross Taylor is starting to do the same thing with the cover drive.

Lunch, Day 1: The mini-session count is tied up, 1-1

Slow progress, but steady progress. Brendon McCullum went into his shell for a while after Taylor got out, he went from 17 off 15 to 21 off 53, but started scoring again after that. New Zealand will be happy with that hour.

Middle drinks, Day 1: New Zealand lead the mini-session count 2-1

Another wicket to a defensive shot. This time it was Brendon McCullum, and it was an important breakthrough. McCullum and Flynn had weathered the earlier storm, and were starting to build a big partnership. However a great ball from Herath put an end to the partnership at 90.

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

Rangana Herath has managed to find some startling bounce from this pitch. There has been some spin, but the bounce has been the real factor in the wickets. Normally a spinner taking wickets on the first day is hugely concerning for a team like New Zealand. However this is somewhat different, as the pace and bounce in the wicket is likely to reduce as the time goes on.

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

Boult and Southee showed that this is certainly a bowlers pitch. There was a lot of swing for both bowlers as well as good bounce and a little movement off the pitch. Doug Bracewell may be a real handful on this pitch.

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

All of a sudden New Zealand's score looks enormous. Boult and Southee have had Sri Lanka in all sorts of trouble. There have been 2 catches dropped as well as the 4 wickets that have gone down, and also a number of close lbw shouts and balls bouncing in front of slips. Ross Taylor shelled a regulation chance, for about the fifth time this year. He was an outstanding slipper before he became captain, but it seems that while he is batting better than ever since becoming captain, it may have had an impact on his focus in the field. He might like to think about doing what a number of captains have done throughout test history and move himself to mid off.

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

A good little fight back from Jayawardene and Mathews. These two look like they are batting on a different pitch to the others, or perhaps it's just that Doug Bracewell and James Franklin are not nearly as threatening as Boult and Southee were.

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

This partnership is starting to build well. These two are taking the game back for Sri Lanka. New Zealand are still probably on top, but not by much.

Tea, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 6-3

Things are starting to get serious for New Zealand here. Once the ball stopped swinging the New Zealand bowlers started to look toothless. With Bracewell so horribly out of form the bowling attack is a lot less potent.

Final drinks, Day 2: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 6-4

New Zealand finally make the breakthrough, and from a strange source, James Franklin. Coming into this match, Franklin had only taken one wicket in 120 overs. Even Harry Cave, possibly the most defensive bowler in history, managed to take a wicket every 20 overs. The task for the Sri Lanka tail now is to score as many runs as possible before the new ball arrives and they have to face Boult and Southee with a swinging ball.

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

There was some symmetry in that it took 2 deliveries with the new ball to clean up the tail for each team. Then New Zealand had to face an awkward final session, just as Sri Lanka had to last night. Both teams lost a wicket, but the way it happened couldn't be more different. Where as Boult and Southee had the Sri Lankan openers under pressure, the New Zealand openers did not look to be having too much trouble before McCullum had a brain explosion. Herath had dropped short earlier in the over, and McCullum deposited him into the stand. Two balls later Herath bowled another slow, short one, but this was a little wider, and when McCullum tried to repeat the shot he mis-timed it straight to Nuwan Kulasekara. The approach of making the bowlers pay for a bad ball is completely correct, but the way of doing it was not. A pull shot along the ground for four would have hurt the bowler almost as much as putting him into the stand, but without nearly as much risk. It's easy to criticise from my couch, but that was not the best option Brendon McCullum has ever taken.

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

A very cautious start from Guptill and Williamson did not bring the benefits that they would have hoped for. Both were dismissed without adding much to their overnight score, after both allowed the bowlers to settle. Taylor has looked slightly more positive, but has still looked like he is more intent on survival than scoring. Kulasekara is looking very good, and Herath is bowling with good control, without really looking like he's doing much with the ball yet.

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

Rangana Herath is giving a masterclass in orthodox spin bowling here. He is setting up batsmen, testing their skills and their mental stability. And finding them wanting.

His dismissal of Flynn should be watched by every young spin bowler as an example of how to bowl spin. He bowled with the same loop that his slower deliveries have, but a little faster. As a result the ball was closer to Flynn than he expected, and caused him to get his feet in the wrong place. The ball then turned sharply, between bat and pad, and crashed into the stumps. It was spin bowling poetry. If a spinner can get a batsman playing off the wrong foot any turn they get is amplified. Herath has spun some deliveries sharply, but it has been what he has done in the air that has allowed the spin to be dangerous. People will look at the score card from this match and think that this pitch is a minefield. It isn't. Instead we have seen an exhibition of quality bowling on a pitch that simply allows the bowlers to show what they can do.

Middle drinks, Day 3: Sri Lanka lead the mini-session count 9-5

The writing was on the wall for New Zealand during Trent Boult's first over. Not a single ball swung. Boult is a swing bowler. If it isn't swinging he has a lot less to offer. He still managed to extract a couple of edges, but one bounced in front of the slips, and the other went wide of third slip to the fence for 4. Bracewell looks a shadow of the bowler who destroyed Australia in Hobart. He doesn't look like he has any weapons to challenge quality batsmen at the moment. Dimuth Karunaratne has looked impressive. While he edged a couple early on, once he got his eye in he has really dominated the bowling. It will take a collapse of 1920's proportions for Sri Lanka to lose it from here.

End of match: Sri Lanka win the mini-session count 10-5

Sri Lanka win the match, after completely dominating this day. New Zealand had no answer to Herath, and they need to find one before the second test in Colombo.