Beleaguered batsman Rahul Dravid's hope of a big score was dashed as Mumbai bowler Ramesh Powar snared him for 40 before completing his five-wicket haul to leave Karnataka reeling at 189 for nine on the first day of their four-day Elite Division Ranji Trophy match in Mumbai on Saturday.
Dravid, out of the Indian one-day squad for the first two ties against Pakistan after a string of low scores against Australia in the recent home series, came to the crease in the first over itself, batted doggedly for 137 minutes before being caught by Amol Muzumdar off a sharply turning Powar delivery.
Dravid's 49-run stand in 21.4 overs with C Raghu (31) steadied the Karnataka ship after the visitors, choosing to bat first, were gasping at 23 for the loss of openers Barrington Rowland (0) and K B Pawan (11), who were sent back by Ajit Agarkar in a fine first spell of 8 overs.
But once Dravid fell, Mumbai took the upper hand with Powar utilising the under-prepared track very well.
Karnataka, 97 for five at one stage, ended the day at a more healthy 189 for nine with allrounder Bhalchandra Akhil doing some fine rearguard action with a fighting, unbeaten knock of 53 in 140 minutes with seven fours.
Akhil, who cut well of the back foot, and wicketkeeper Thilak Naidu, who made 33, did the repair job with a 48-run sixth wicket stand to pull Karnataka out of the deep rut.
At stumps Akhil and last man N C Aiyappa (1) were at the crease, with the former having faced 119 balls. Powar picked up five for 69 while Agarkar got 2 for 24.
Karnataka started the match on the back foot when Barrington poked at a ball that moved out a shade and edged to Vinayak Samant, the Mumbai stumper's first out of five victims in the day.
Dravid and Pawan then had to negotiate a spell of tight bowling from both ends by Agarkar and Rajesh Verma, with the former even surviving a close leg before appeal soon after his entry off Agarkar.
Runs were at a premium and boundaries were non-existent barring an edged four by Pawan who was later caught in the slip cordon off Agarkar in the 13th over.
Dravid hit his first of the four boundaries, an off drive off Verma, off the 36th delivery he faced, and Raghu saw off the medium pacers with some cautious batting.
The introduction of Powar from the end from which Agarkar ended his first spell helped to break the stand as Dravid turned a sharply turning ball from the off spinner to backward short leg fielder and Mumbai skipper Amol Muzumdar.
From 72 for three, Karnataka crawled to 97 for five - Yere Gaud and Raghu being the victims after lunch - before Akhil and Naidu stemmed the rot.
Verma came back for his second spell after tea and ended the partnership by dismissing Naidu, caught by Samant, for 33.
Powar then dismissed Sunil Joshi and rival skipper Anil Kumble in a span of nine balls to leave the visitors tottering at 166 for eight. Later he snapped up Vinay Kumar too before Akhil and Aiyappa saw through without being separated till close.
Scorecard:
Karnataka:
B Rowland c Samant b Agarkar 0
K B Pawan c Rahane b Agarkar 11
R Dravid c Muzumdar b Powar 40
C Raghu c Samant b Nair 31
Yere Gaud st Samant b Powar 5
T Naidu c Samant b Verma 33
B Akhil batting 53
S Joshi lbw Powar 6
A Kumble lbw Powar 0
R Vinay Kumar c Samant b Powar 4
N C Aiyappa batting 1
Extras (lb 2, nb 3) 5
Total (for 9 wkts in 91 overs) 189
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-23, 3-72, 4-78, 5-97, 6-145, 7-164, 8-166, 9-172
Bowling: Agarkar 14-3-24-2, Verma 19-6-38-1, Powar 29-7-69-5, Nair 12-4-17-1, Abdulla 17-4-39-0.