Here is the mini-session analysis for the Fifth test between England and Australia at The Oval, London, EnglandA 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 | Australia 37/1 off 14 | England |
| 1-1b | Australia 75/0 off 15 | Australia |
| 1-2a | Australia 32/2 off 13.5 | England |
| 1-2b | Australia 39/0 off 15.1 | Australia |
| 1-3a | Australia 57/0 off 17 | Australia |
| 1-3b | Australia 67/1 off 15 | Australia |
| 2-2a | Australia 46/1 off 14 | Australia |
| 2-2b | Australia 44/1 off 13 | Australia |
| 2-3a | Australia 95/3 off 11.5 | Australia |
| 2-3b | England 32/0 off 17.3 | Draw |
| 3-1a | England 36/0 off 13.3 | England |
| 3-1b | England 29/1 off 13 | Australia |
| 3-2a | England 35/1 off 18 | England |
| 3-2b | England 49/1 off 20 | Australia |
| 3-3a | England 32/0 off 17 | Draw |
| 3-3b | England 34/1 off 17 | Australia |
| 5-1a | England 103/3 off 21 | Draw |
| 5-2a | England 27/3 off 7.4 | Australia |
| 5-2b | Australia 111/6 off 23 | England |
| 5-3a | England 85/1 off 18 | England |
| 5-3b | England 121/4 off 22 | Draw |
Final update, click here
The match is a draw, but Australia win the mini-session count 13 - 8
First drinks, Day 1: England lead the mini-session count 1-0
Australia won the toss and chose to bat, but they possibly didn't expect the ball to be playing as many tricks as a Japanese game show. The ball that got Warner was a stunner from Anderson, and both he and Broad looked particularly venomous. - Mykuhl
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Lunch, Day 1: The mini-session count is tied up, 1-1
That was unequivocally Shane Watson's hour. He scored a truckload of runs, and did not allow either Woakes or Kerrigan to settle. If these two bowlers continue to struggle, Cook may end up overbowling the other 3. That was one of the most dramatic hours in favour of the batting team in the whole series. - Mykuhl
Middle drinks, Day 1: England lead the mini-session count 2-1
Australia were kept becalmed and lost two wickets this hour. Impressive fightback from England. Watson scored 62 runs in the second hour, but only 18 in that hour. That's probably the best indication of the difference. - Mykuhl
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Tea, Day 1: The mini-session count is tied up, 2-2
Shane Watson managed to convert a start to a hundred! He was given a life shortly afterwards, but managed to press on throughout the rest of the hour, without looking as in command as he did at the start of his innings. This pitch looked benign with most of the bowlers, but like a minefield when Anderson has the ball. - Mykuhl
Final drinks, Day 1: Australia lead the mini-session count 3-2
A "daddy hundred " for Watson. Has the cork come out of the bottle? - Mykuhl
Stumps, Day 1: Australia lead the mini-session count 4-2
Watson finally met his demise, but Smith just carried on. He had some issues with the new ball, but generally looked like a quality batsman. The first day belongs to Australia. - Mykuhl
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Middle drinks, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 5-2
That was actually a fairly even hour. Australia were under pressure, but they have taken the sting off hte new ball now, and are in a good position to attack. - Mykuhl
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Tea, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 6-2
A couple of things happened in that hour. Jonathan Trott picked up his wicket for the season. He's picked up one test wicket almost every season he's played, but never managed two. Oh and 4 balls earlier Steven Smith hit Trott back over his head for 6 to bring up his maiden century. - Mykuhl
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Final drinks, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 7-2
That was some classic tail-end biff. There wasn't a single over in that hour that went for less than 4 runs. At the other end Steve Smith kept his head, scoring runs, but managing to pad his average with a not out. - Mykuhl
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Stumps, Day 2: Australia lead the mini-session count 7.5-2.5
England didn't score many runs, but they didn't lose any wickets either. The new ball has been the major weapon for Australia so they really need to break through early on day 3. - Mykuhl
First drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 7.5-3.5
England have made good progress. There were a few deliveries from the two right armers that troubled them, but they've generally dealt with the bad balls well. - Mykuhl
Lunch, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 8.5-3.5
Ryan Harris has bowled another sensational spell. While he's only picked up the solitary wicket of Cook, he has had all 3 batsmen under some considerable pressure. It's not often that a team is 97/1 without really looking in control, but Australia are playing some good cricket here, even though they are not getting the rewards they would have hoped for. - Mykuhl
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Middle drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 8.5-4.5
England started this session at 1/97. During it, paint dried, grass grew, and they lost the wicket of Joe Root, who presented a simple catch off the bowling of Nathan Lyon. The biggest talking point from an Australian perspective is the increasing waywardness of Mitchell Starc, essentially meaning that Australia are operating with four bowlers rather than five.
This mini-session went England's way, because despite them being unable to increase their run rate, KP and Trott looked at home against the Aussie bowlers on a flat track. This session helped to illustrate exactly what test cricket can be like when a team needs to merely draw a game, rather than win. - Nick Hancock
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Tea, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 9.5-4.5
Australia got through the old ball overs quickly, and immediately broke through with the new ball. This pitch might be difficult to bat on in the last 2 days. This could be one of those tests that looks like a draw, looks like a draw, looks like a draw then suddenly bursts into life in the last 4 sessions. - Mykuhl
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Final drinks, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 10-5
Just like 2-3b England didn't lose any wickets, saw off the new ball, but didn't actually make any positive progress. - Mykuhl
Stumps, Day 3: Australia lead the mini-session count 11-5
What one person calls attritional, another calls boring. It perhaps depends on your perspective. This test is an opportunity to discover which camp you are in. - Mykuhl
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Lunch, Day 5: Australia lead the mini-session count 11.5-5.5
The Australian barbs worked and England came out swinging. However they possibly worked a little too well, and as a result England scored very quickly. A cracking session, lots of runs and wickets. - Mykuhl
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Change of innings, Day 5: Australia lead the mini-session count 12.5-5.5
When I first saw James Faulkner in this test it was hard to see how he had a first class average under 23. Once I saw him bowling to the tail it became clear. He's a bowler who doesn't specialise in subtlty, but in dramatically different deliveries. That doesn't tend to get batsmen out, but it's remarkably effective against tail-enders. His chinaman, top-spinner and inswinger all got a work out against the tail, and all had the batsmen in trouble. A player who is effective with the bat and has the ability to clean up the tail has the potential to be a very effective addition to the Australian line up. - Mykuhl
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Declaration, Day 5: Australia lead the mini-session count 12.5-6.5
Australia struggled to get going. If there was any doubt about Australia's intent in sending Watson to partner Warner against the new ball, Warner smashed the first ball through the covers to confirm that they were there to score quickly. England's bowlers then set about making that as difficult as possible. They certainly did a good job of that. - Mykuhl
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Final drinks, Day 5: Australia lead the mini-session count 12.5-7.5
England have set off well here. This last hour could be very interesting. - Mykuhl
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End of Match, Stumps, Day 5: Australia win the mini-session count 13-8 but the match is a draw
That was a finish that was both a fantastic end to what was looking like a dud match, a conclusion that was stolen by poorly written rules and a talking point that may bring about an important change to the match. There will be lots written about this situation with the bad lights, but there's no doubt that the spectators got better value for money today than any other day in this test. The umpires forced their own hands with their ridiculous decisions to come off earlier in the series. - Mykuhl
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