R. Samarth and K. Gowtham scored a pair of contrasting centuries as Karnataka turned the screws on Assam on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group A encounter at the SDNRW ground here.
Samarth compiled a steady, unhurried 123 (234b, 10x4) before Gowtham launched a carefree assault on the bowling to raise his maiden first-class hundred.
Karnataka had batted watchfully during a rain-affected morning session but accelerated after lunch. Gowtham, promoted to number five, unleashed 10 fours and six clean sixes in his unbeaten 147 (158b); his status as an all-rounder cannot be in doubt now.
At the close of play of Sunday, Karnataka was 427 for six, ahead by 282 runs.
In the morning, openers Samarth and Mayank Agarwal made steady if slow progress as Karnataka resumed on 77 without loss. They were barely troubled until Agarwal was bowled for 30 by an Arup Das delivery that stayed low.
The Assam medium-pacer struck again four balls later, when he had Abhishek Reddy edge behind. Samarth and Kaunain Abbas then added 98 patient runs (172b) either side of lunch, their concentration unaffected by a 57-minute rain break.
Samarth, who was Karnataka's leading run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy last season, hardly put a foot wrong on his way to a sixth first-class ton. He was compact in defence, on a pitch where the odd ball kept low, and played the dab through third man to great effect.
Abbas and Samarth departed within a few minutes of each other, both edging Swarupam Purkayastha to slip.
But if Assam thought it had clawed its way back, it was grossly mistaken. Gowtham cut loose, attacking the opponent's two main spinners -- Purkayastha and Rahul Singh.
Both finished the day with unflattering economy rates. Gowtham and Stuart Binny put on 103 runs for the sixth wicket at a brisk pace (128b) as the crowd roared its approval.
There was more entertainment in store after tea. Gowtham pulled Abu Nechim Ahmed over square-leg, unfurled a stunning straight drive off pacer Pallav Das that sailed past the sight-screen, and smashed Rahul's left-arm spin into a thicket of trees beyond deep mid-wicket.
The hundred arrived off 112 balls, with a swept four off Rahul. A third century partnership followed, between Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal. Karnataka had galloped along at 4.75 runs an over in the second session, and 4.89 in the third. Assam had no answer.
The scores:
Assam -- 1st innings: 145
Karnataka -- 1st innings: R. Samarth c Tarjinder b Purkayastha 123, K. Gowtham (batting) 147; Extras (lb-5, nb-9): 14; Total (for six wickets in 115 overs): 427.
Fall of wickets: 1-92, 2-92, 3-190, 4-197, 5-215, 6-318.
Assam bowling: Arup Das 35-7-101-3, Swarupam Purkayastha 16-1-80-3.
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