The unexpected `hospitality' of the hosts brought joy to Madhya Pradesh as they finished the day at 339 for six. Abbas Ali, on a cautious 29, and Harvinder Singh Sodhi on five were at the crease when stumps were drawn.

What the five-time champions Karnataka lacked was planning. Their batting, barring Vijay Bharadwaj and Sujith Somasundar let them down. Then they sorely missed the services of a fifth bowler.

On the other hand, Madhya Pradesh's skipper Chandrakant Pandit executed his plans in a disciplined way. The opener Chandra Prakash Sahu, who is known for his aggressiveness, demonstratedhis style.

Medium pacer Mansoor gave the breakthrough that was needed when he induced an edge from the bat of the other opener Jai Prakash Yadav. He was caught in the gully by Arun Kumar. The score was then 11 for one. Karnataka did not get another breakthrough, as the two Sahus -- CP and Santosh -- butchered the Karnataka attack. Medium pacers Ganesh and Mansoor were thumped for 31 (4 overs) and 24 runs (3 overs) respectively. CP Sahu initiated the slog and Santosh picked up the cue. Both played some handsome cuts and pulls as MP raced to 50 in just 6.4 overs.

Karnataka skipper Sunil Joshi brought on himself to end the onslaught. But Santosh replied by taking three consecutive boundaries, all of which were sweetly timed. The duo also raised the team's 100 in just 13.5 overs.

A frustrated Joshi then turned to his off spinner Anand Yalvigi who broke the 99-run second wicket partnership in his first over. CP Sahu cut the first ball to the point fence. The very next ball he spooned to A Vijay at gully. CPSahu's entertaining 43-ball innings of 45 contained eight hits to the fence.

The dismissal was just the beginning of another misery. Santosh found an able partner in Bundela who came here with an impressive record of two tons, including one in the semi-final against Hyderabad, and five half centuries in the current season. The duo, scoring at will, took their team's total to 151 for two (25 overs) when the sides broke for lunch.

Santosh and Bundela were confidence personified and treated the spinners and medium pacers with disdain. Santosh was particularly harsh on Yalvigi, smashing him for three of his four sixes. He used his feet to perfection, lofting Yalvigi over the long-on fence to bring up his maiden century. Bundela played second fiddle as the duo negotiated the entire second session without being separated, adding a cool 113 runs in 32 overs.

Finally, luck smiled on the frustrated Karnataka bowlers. They captured three wickets in quick succession.

Santosh played a tired on-drive off Ganeshwhich ballooned to A Vijay at mid wicket. This ended a fine innings of 130 (241m, 165b, 12x4, 4x6). Bundela, on 79, was well set for a century. He played to point and set off for a single. But he was sent back by non-striker Abbas Ali. Anil Kumar, substituting for Sujith Somasundar, with a superb pick up and throw broke the stumps before Bundela was home. Bundela's knock included 10 boundaries.

Ganesh trapped MP captain Chandrakant Pandit (10) plumb in front.

Karnataka achieved one more success when Vijay Bharadwaj trapped Raja Ali in front of the wicket. But by then the visitors had overhauled Karnataka's first innings score. Karnataka summoned the second new ball just before close and sent down two overs with it.

Earlier, the hosts' batting wound up after adding 13 runs to their overnight total of 291 for nine. Medium pacer Harvinder Singh Sodhi finished with figures of 5 for 78.

Scoreboard

Karnataka (1st innings, overnight 291 for nine): S Somasundar c Abbas Ali b Sodhi 70, J Arun Kumar cCP Sahu b Chauhan 34, S Shiraguppi c Chauhan b Sodhi 6, Vijay Bharadwaj c CP Sahu b Chauhan 86, A Vijay c Pandit b Yadav 14, Thilak Naidu c Pandit b Majithia 12, S Joshi run out 31, B Akhil lbw Sodhi 6, A Yalvigi c CP Sahu b Sodhi 4, D Ganesh c CP Sahu b Sodhi 20, Mansoor Ali Khan not out 7. Extras (lb4, nb10): 14.

Total (all out in 95.2 overs, 437 mins): 304.

Fall of wickets: 1-94, 2-113, 3-125, 4-154, 5-172, 6-229, 7-258, 8-266, 9-278.

Bowling: Sodhi 27.2-3-78-5 (4nb), Bundela 4-0-22-0, Yadav 23-5-52-1 (1nb), Hirwani 11-0-51-0 (5nb), Chauhan 17-1-57-2, Majithia 13-3-40-1.

Madhya Pradesh (1st innings): CP Sahu c Vijay b Yalvigi 45, JP Yadav c Arun Kumar b Mansoor 3, Santosh Sahu c A Vijay b Ganesh 130, D Bundela run out 79, Abbas Ali batting 29, C Pandit lbw Ganesh 10, Raja Ali lbw Bharadwaj 7, HS Sodhi batting 5. Extras (b8, nb20, w3): 31.

Total (for six wickets in 83 overs, 352 mins): 339.

Fall of wickets: 1-11, 2-110, 3-273, 4-275, 5-289,6-319.

Bowling: Ganesh 22-0-91-2 (20nb, 1w), Mansoor 10-1-47-1 (2w), Akhil 1-0-8-0, Joshi 30-4-95-0, Yalvigi 13-1-72-1, Bharadwaj 7-1-18-1.