Mumbai spinners Nilesh Kulkarni and Ramesh Powar spun a web of deceit around the Karnataka batsmen to skittle the visitors for a paltry 166 on the second day of the four-day Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group A tie in Mumbai on Thursday.
Kulkarni returned his third five wicket haul of the season, taking 5 for 39 with his left-arm slows, while off break bowler Powar grabbed 4 for 70. The duo helped Mumbai take a handy 126-run first innings lead on a spinner's track.
Karnataka, who managed to send back the last two Mumbai batsmen after the hosts added only 19 runs to their overnight first innings score of 273 for 8, were shot out 20 minutes before close in 83.2 overs.
They lost their last eight wickets for 50 runs in a dramatic post-lunch collapse.
Karnataka, sailing smoothly at 82 for no loss and then 116 for two replying to Mumbai's modest first innings total of 292, were unable to decide between attack and defence after adjourning for lunch at 77 for no loss.
The visitors were given a sound start by openers Barrington Rowland (43, 6 fours and a six) and Robin Uthappa (39 with 4 fours and a six) and then lost the duo in the space of four balls.
They never fully recovered from the double strike and lost wickets in clusters of two and three thereafter.
Before stumps, they fought back a bit by dismissing Wasim Jaffer in Mumbai's second innings score of 2 for 1.
In a repeat of the first day's play, the ball dominated the bat after the extended first session of play.
The spinners were once again the dominant force with Kulkarni doing the bulk of the damage with good support from Powar in similar fashion to Sunil Joshi, who grabbed 6 for 102, for Karnataka in the Mumbai first essay.
Kulkarni was underbowled a bit by Mumbai captain Sairaj Bahutule before lunch. But once Powar did the early damage by sending back two of the top three batsmen, Rowland and Karnataka skipper Sujit Somasunder, he came into his own.
The lanky bowler took full advantage of a couple of spots on the wicket by hitting the deck from his height to make the ball jump and turn unexpectedly.
Rowland started the slide for Karnataka when he checked a drive and was caught by Kulkarni at mid wicket who then took a fine diving catch at covers when Uthappa cut a short ball from Bahtule.
The opening duo's dismissals in the space of two runs opened the floodgates after Somasunder and Tilak Naidu went needlessly into their shell for a brief while and stonewalled.
Kulkarni sent back wicket keeper Naidu who was declared out caught at the wicket. Then Powar succeeded in earning an appeal for a catch at short leg off Somasunder to plunge Karnataka in deep trouble at 126 for four.
Karnataka lost wickets regularly after the fall of Naidu, losing two wickets in four balls twice and three in 8 balls once, as Mumbai took total control of the proceedings.
Scorecard
Mumbai 1st innings: 292
Karnataka Ist Innings:
B Rowland c Kulkarni b Powar 43
R Uthappa c Kulkarni b Bahutule 39
S Somasunder c Mane b Powar 24
T Naidu c Samant b Kulkarni 12
S Shinde c Jaffer b Kulkarni 4
D Chougule c Mane b Powar 17
S Joshi c Indulkar b Powar 0
C Raghu c Jaffer b Kulkarni 6
D Ganesh c Samant b Kulkarni 6
V Kumar c Bahutule b Kulkarni 1
S Vadeyaraj not out 10
Extras: (b 2, lb 1, nb 1) 4
Total: (All out in 83.2 overs, 311 mins) 166
Fall of wickets: 1-82, 2-84, 3-116, 4-126, 5-127, 6-149, 7-149, 8-149, 9-150.
Bowling: Malvi 5-2-4-0, Mota 9-2-23-0, Powar 26-9-70-4, Bahutule 21-10-27-1, Kulkarni 22.2-8-39-5.
Mumbai 2nd Innings:
V Mane batting 2
W Jaffer c Rowland b Joshi 0
N Kulkarni batting 0
Total: (for one wkt, in 3 overs) 2
Fall of wicket: 1-1
Bowling: Joshi 2-1-1-1, Vadeyaraj 1-0-1-0.
