Courtesy a strong all-round show, Karnataka found themselves in the driver's seat after enforcing the follow-on against Bengal on Day 3 of their Group A Ranji Trophy cricket match, here today.
In reply to Karnataka's 408 in the first innings of the four-day encounter at the Eden Gardens, Bengal batsmen showed little application to be bowled out for 251, just eight runs shy of avoiding the follow-on.
At stumps, the Laxmi Ratan Shukla-led Bengal were 49 for one, still trailing by 111 runs.
Earlier starting on their overnight score of 62 for one, the Bengal top and middle-order fought hard only to give away their starts as Karnataka captain R Vinay Kumar and Sreenath Aravind picked three wickets each.
Shreevats Goswami (68 from 141 balls, 12x4) was Bengal's top-scorer but the diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman could not convert it into a big score and was trapped by leg-spinner Shreyas Gopal in his very second over.
The overnight batsmen Rohan Banerjee (46) and Sudip Chatterjee (57) also did their bit by adding 62 runs for the second wicket.
Bengal's most reliable batsman, Manoj Tiwary was out second ball duck soon after the left-handed Banerjee missed his half-century by 4 runs.
Fresh from his 192 in Baroda, Chatterjee found a fine ally in Shreevats as they looked to rebuild Bengal's innings but it was Karnataka skipper again, who broke the 71-run partnership.
Unlike Karnataka, who reached 408 from being 69/5, Bengal batsmen showed no appetite to occupy the crease as it was a one-way road for the visitors.
Brief Scores:
Karnataka 408
Bengal 251 and 46/1 in 20 overs (Arindam Das 11 not out, Sudip Chatterjee 20 not out; Sreenath Aravind 1-10).
