Karnataka failed to capitalise on their dominance as Madhya Pradesh forced a draw on the fourth and final day of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group A match in Bangalore on Sunday.

The visitors, resuming at the overnight score of 296 for four, were bundled out for 422 in the first innings. The hosts, with a lead of 197 runs, forced the follow-on, hoping to snatch an outright victory. But Madhya Pradesh hung on to reach 152 for six in the second innings in 46.5 overs to avoid defeat.

Earlier, resuming the innings, left-handed batsman Abbas Ali (62) and Nikhil Patwardhan (89) showed initial resistance to the Karnataka bowling in the morning, but Ali fell soon, caught behind by V S Tilak Naidu off N C Aiyappa.

Patwardhan tried to stretch the Central team innings, but was caught at slip by Sujith Somasundar off Sunil Joshi at 89, that included 12 boundaries.

The tailenders kept the scoreboard ticking before the side was bowled out half an hour past lunch.

Karnataka had to be content with two points.

Scorecard

Karnataka (1st innings): 619 for 5 decl

Madhya Pradesh (1st innings): (overnight 296 for 4)
S Dholpure c Naidu b Binny 107
N Ojha c Naidu b Vinay Kumar 0
A Khurasiya c Somasunder b Raghu 45
D Bundela c Uthappa b Aiyappa 31
S Abbas Ali c Naidu b Aiyappa 62
N Patwardhan c Somasunder b Joshi 89
B Tomar run out (Vijay Bharadwaj) 13
S Pitre c Aiyappa b Raghu 5
Y Golwalkar not out 17
S Pandey c Raghu b Joshi 21
N Hirwani c Rowland b Aiyappa 4

Extras: (b 10, lb 1, nb 17) 28

Total: (all out, 151.1 overs, 633 mins) 422

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-120, 3-182, 4-220, 5-328, 6-373, 7-380, 8-384, 9-416, 10-422.

Bowling: Ganesh 28-6-80-0, Vinay Kumar 21-1-85-1, Aiyappa 27.1-7-89-3, Joshi 40-15-71-2, Raghu 28-9-72-2, Binny 6-3-12-1, Rowland 1-0-2-0.

Madhya Pradesh (2nd innings): (following on)
S Dholpure c Joshi b Ganesh 52
N Ojha c Naidu b Vinay Kumar 0
B Tomar lbw b Vinay Kumar 44
D Bundela c Uthappa b Vinay Kumar 0
S Abbas Ali c Ganesh b Aiyappa 37
Y Golwalkar b Aiyappa 0
N Patwardhan not out 5
A Khurasiya not out 5

Extras: (b 4, lb 2, nb 3) 9

Total: (6 wickets, 46.5 overs, 209 mins) 152

DNB: S Pitre, S Pandey, N Hirwani.

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-74, 3-78, 4-138, 5-138, 6-138.

Bowling: Ganesh 13.3-3-46-1, Vinay Kumar 10.3-2-27-3, Aiyappa 8-2-33-2, Joshi 9-4-18-0, Raghu 5.5-1-22-0.