Guwahati: Assam conceded a first-innings lead of 301 and limped their way to 72 for two in the second innings as Bengal are firmly on the ascendancy at the end of Day III of the Ranji Trophy Group A match, here, at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
Resuming at a terrible overnight score of one for four, the hosts were bundled out for 143 in 54.4 overs before tea, courtesy a half-century by Tarjinder Singh, and three-wicket scalps each by Pragyan Ojha and Mukesh Kumar.
Having enforced the follow-on, Bengal are bracing up to take the remaining eight Assam wickets on the fourth and final day, and register a win, thereby sealing their knockout berth in style.
Earlier, in the morning, Amit Verma and Arun Karthick started cautiously and somehow managed to negotiate Wednesday's demolition man Ashok Dinda.
But their stand didn't last long as Ojha had Verman caught by Abhimanyu Easwaran at square leg in the ninth over of the day.
Tarjinder, who has had a lean phase this season and was rested in the previous match against Maharashtra, regained his form to stand tall amidst the ruins. Karthick, Assam's most consistent batsman this season, paid the price of being too aggressive once he found himself well settled. His 43-ball innings comprised two hits to the ropes and a towering six.
Assam were six down for only 50 runs on the board at the time of his dismissal. Tarjinder top-scored for the side with a patient 50, hitting six boundaries facing 128 balls and spending 170 minutes in the middle.
He shared the highest partnership of the innings - 59 runs with J. Syed Mohammed (31) to take Assam's total beyond the 100-run mark during their 76-minute stand. Ojha picked up Syed Mohammed with a superb turner when the scoreboard read 109 in 38.5 overs just before lunch was taken.
Tarjinder came back to complete his half-century in 166 minutes. His dismissal off Ojha, caught by Abhimanyu at silly point, after sharing another 30-run partnership with Amit Sinha for the eight wicket, at the total of 138 in the 54th over, spelt the end of whatever little hopes Assam had of avoiding the follow-on.
If Dinda was the wrecker-in-chief for Bengal on the second day, Mukesh and Ojha continued with the good work on the penultimate day to ensure Bengal get at least three points from this match and place on one hand on the knockout berth.
In the second innings that has lasted so far for 139 minutes, Assam started with a 28-run opening partnership between Pallav Das (batting on 28) and Rahul Hazarika (16) before the latter threw his wicket away, trying to sweep Amir Gani only to be trapped plumb in front.
Verma also fell to Gani, caught by Sudip Chatterjee at forward short leg. Verma misjudged the ball to edge to Sudip that led to his dismissal. He scored 19 runs, hitting three boundaries off 57 balls.
Captain Gokul Sharma was at the other end batting on eight with Pallav when play was called off due to insufficient light.
Apart from Tarjinder, the second innings witnessed Pallav, who has been failing to impress with his batting so far in the season, trying his best to regain form. So far, he has applied himself for a patient knock, having spent 139 minutes and facing 102 balls.
Gani, as of now, has figures of two wickets for 34 runs.
While the visitors will look to pick up the remaining eight wickets as early as possible on Friday to clinch an innings victory and a precious bonus point, the home team's batsmen will try and stick around in order to steal a point from the match so that they can be in contention for the knockouts.
