Here is the final mini-session analysis for the first test between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle International Stadium, Galle, Sri LankaA 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 |
Final update, click here
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
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