Karnataka hold the edge in potential classic

Bengal 238 and 71 for 2 need 236 more runs to beat Karnataka 89 and 455 (Goud 72, Bose 4-116, Sarkar 4-87)
Scorecard

"If we can come back from 89 all out, and from trailing by 149 runs, like the way we did in the last two days, then there's reason to believe that we can go home winners," an otherwise reserved and reticent Yere Goud stated after the fourth day's play of their Ranji Trophy semi-final clash against Bengal at Eden Gardens.

The Karnataka captain knew what he was saying. For, following one of the most dramatic turnarounds in a Ranji match this season, Venkatesh Prasad's boys now fancy their chances against an under-pressure Bengal who need 236 runs on the fifth day -- with eight wickets remaining -- to book a title clash against Mumbai.

Bengal were set a target of 307 after the visitors piled up 455 in their second innings, which ended an hour and a half into the second session today. In reply, Bengal lost their openers Subhamoy Das (30) and Arindam Das (27) after a solid 52-run start, finishing the day on a tricky 71 for 2 with young turks Manoj Tewari and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala at the crease.

Even as Deep Dasgupta maintained that chasing down less than 250 with eight wickets in hand shouldn't be too difficult, the home team are aware of how much the pendulum has swung away from them since the first day. To Bengal's advantage, the pair at the crease - Tewari and Jhunjhunwala - have been their most prolific run scorers this season.

That every moment of the fifth day promises to dramatic is evident from the challenge hurled at the Bengal think-tank by the Karnataka camp. "We will choke them for runs tomorrow, and we will make them get frustrated and throw away the wickets. That's the ploy we will go out to field with," was the warning sent down by Goud, whose tenacious 72-run knock today could eventually go on to make the difference between victory and defeat. Food for thought for the likes of Tewari, Jhunjhunwala and Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who are natural strokeplayers.

Karnataka deserve full credit for the way their batsmen, in the second innings, made amends for their 89-run first innings total. And when Goud, accompanied by tailenders Raju Bhatkal (30) and Vinay Kumar (32), went about denying the remarkably insipid Bengal bowling attack, the writing was on the wall - Bengal will have to bat out of their skins to reach the target.

And for the umpteenth in the tournament, Bengal may pay dearly for dropping sitters: today's culprits being Sourasish Lahiri, skipper Deep Dasgupta and Arindam Das. Just when Bengal needed to skittle out Karnataka's middle and lower-order on a wicket getting increasing slower, the sloppy fielding effort cost them.

Capitalising on the lapses was the experienced Goud, who showed how to carve out a knock that can make the opponents bleed. As if Goud's patient 325-minute knock wasn't telling enough, Bhatkal dealt some stunning blows, racing away to a quickfire 47-ball 30, courtesy some lusty hits down the ground and a couple of cheeky reverse-swept boundaries.

Bhatkal departed after trying one slog too many, but Bengal's agony continued, with Vinay Kumar's breezy 36-ball 32 further leaving Ranadeb Bose and Sourav Sarkar frustrated.

Bengal began the chase well, with both the openers adopting a strict play-it-on-the-V policy, cutting down on chances of getting dismissed square of the wicket. But the odd boundary straight down the wicket didn't dent Karnataka's hopes, with Balachandra Akhil bringing his team back with two quick wickets. Persisting with a middle stump line relentlessly, Akhil was aptly rewarded with two leg-before dismissals to get rid of the set openers.

If Akhil carries on the good work tomorrow, and if the spinners Sunil Joshi and C Raghu get enough turn on a wearing track, this amazing turnaround will be complete.