The 24-year-old southpaw, who returned unconquered with a fluent 62, was the sole succour for West on a day when Central extended their stranglehold on the five-day contest. The best testimony of the nature of the ADCA rectangle came when Central wicket-keeper Manoj Mudgal donned a helmet to avoid the fliers from the spinners.

Kanitkar and Abhijit Kale (36) had almost overpowered the devil in the track with their prudent stroke-play but Kale's dismissal at the fag end of the day saw the scales tilting towards Central.

The Maharashtra duo had offset the early loss of Bombay boys -- Sameer Dighe (5), Wasim Jaffer (7) and Jatin Paranjape (7) -- with a 104-runalliance. In fact, Kale had matched his skipper in compiling runs and appeared set to carry the combat into the third day until he chased an outgoing delivery from medium-pacer Jai Prakash Yadav to Mudgal.

Earlier, Mudgal (81) was the central character that saw his team gaining ascendancy. Aided by the benevolence of the West Zone fieldsmen, the 26-year-old Uttar Pradesh stumper compiled 75 of the 119 runs that Central piled to their overnight score of 225.

Mudgal got a fresh lease of life when wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe lunged forward but failed to snap the leading edge induced by medium-pacer Iqbal Siddiqui. The batsman then was on 12 and the team score 236. Paras Mhambrey then grassed a return chance when Mudgal was on 19.

Siddiqui heightened the miseries for West when he dropped a skier to let off tailender Ashish Winston Zaidi when the batsman hadn't even opened his account. Zaidi went on string a 43-run partnership with Mudgal.

Despite the presence of an attack of international experience, theWest Zone bowlers were found wanting on a helpful track. That it required the services of stop-gap bowler Sitanshu Kotak to dismiss Gyanendra Pandey (46) and Mudgal provides testimony to it.

In contrast, the Central bowlers, aided by their sprightly fielding, exemplified by Amay Khurasia's alacrity in snapping up two catches, have managed to steal a march over their famed rivals.

All West can hope now is for Kanitkar to extend his tenure at the crease with able assistance from the lower order to bring a turnaround in their fortunes.

Scoreboard

Central Zone (1st innings; overnight 225-6): Gagan Khoda c&b Kuruvilla 20 (31b, 57m, 4x4), Jyoti Yadav c Kulkarni b Mhambrey 5 (12b, 21m, 1x4), Jai Prakash Yadav c Jaffer b Kulkarni 36 (68b, 99m, 7x4), Amay Khurasia c Jaffer b Kuruvilla 0 (1b, 1m), Mohd Kaif c Kotak b Mhambrey 69 (213b, 269m, 10x4, 1x6), Yogesh Ghare st Dighe b Bahutule 37 (86b, 116m, 5x4, 1x6), Gyanendra Pandey cDighe b Kotak 46 (140b, 170m, 4x4, 2x6), Manoj Mudgal c Kuruvilla b Kotak 81(135b, 177m, 10x4, 1x6), Murali Karthik b Bahutule 11 (46b, 65m, 1x4), Ashish Winston Zaidi c Dighe b Kulkarni 15 (21b, 29m, 1x4, 1x6), Kulamani Parida not out 0 (1b, 4m). Extras: (4b, 7lb, 12nb, 1w) 24.

Total: (all out in 123.4 overs, 508 mins) 344

Fall Of Wickets: 1-15, 2-52, 3-52, 4-93, 5-160, 6-211, 7-248, 8-301, 9-344.

Bowling: Mhambrey 22-5-54-2 (1nb), Siddiqui 19-4-36-0 (2nb, 1w), Kuruvilla 24-7-63-2 (7nb), Kulkarni 28-8-79-2, Bahutule 16-2-64-2 (1nb), Kanitkar 11-3-25-0, Kotak 2.4-0-12-2.

West Zone (1st innings): Sameer Dighe b JP Yadav 5 (29b, 34m, 1x4), Wasim Jaffer c Mudgal b Karthik 15 (51b, 61m, 3x4), Jatin Paranjpe c Khurasia b Parida 7, Hrishikesh Kanitkar batting 62 (126b, 158m, 10x4, 1x6) Abhijit Kale c Khurasia b JP Yadav 36 (80b, 111m, 7x4), Paras Mhambrey batting 4 (7b, 11m, 1x4).

Extras: (13b, 7lb, 2nb) 24.

Total: (for four wickets in 56 overs, 220 mins) 151

Fall Of Wickets: 1-21, 2-33, 3-43, 4-147.

Bowling: Zaidi10-1-29-0 (2nb), Karthik 19-8-34-1, JP Yadav 13-6-18-2, Parida 8-3-30-1, Pandey 5-1-15-1, Kaif 1-0-5-0.