The Ranji Trophy Super League semi-final between Bengal and Karnataka is set for an exciting finish with the hosts requiring 236 runs on the final day with eight wickets in hand.
Bengal seized back some initiative after restricting Karnataka to 455 in their second innings on the fourth day on Friday at the Eden Gardens.
But by then Bengal, who bundled out the visitors for just 89 runs in the first innings and replied with 238, had allowed Karnataka to come back from a precarious position.
Resuming at their overnight score of 317 for five, Karnataka added another 138, setting a victory target of 307 for the home team.
Bengal scored 71 runs but lost both the openers in the process.
Subhomoy Das (30) and Arindam Das (27) gave a decent start but B Akhil trapped them leg before wicket.
In-form batsmen Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (5) and Manoj Tiwary (9) were at the crease at the end of the day's play.
Bengal would depend on these two batsmen as also Rohan Gavaskar and captain Deep Dasgupta for an outright victory on Saturday.
Earlier, Yere Goud scored a patient 72 runs in 218 balls studded with nine fours and one six for Karnataka.
The visitors would have folded up much earlier had it not been for an excellent effort from tailenders Raju Bhatkal (30) and R Vinay Kumar (32).
Bengal pace spearhead Ranadeb Bose returned a 10-wicket haul, including four in the second innings.
This was Bose's second 10-wicket haul in Ranji Trophy this season.
