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-run alliance. 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, the West 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.

Scoreboard
Central Zone (1st Innings): Khoda c and b Kuruvilla 20; Jyoti Yadav c N Kulkarni b Mambhrey 5; J.P. Yadav c Jaffer b N Kulkarni 36; Khurusia c Jaffer b Kuruvilla 0; Mohammad Kaif c Kotak b Mambhrey 69; Ghare st Dighe b Bahutule 37; G. Pandey c Dighe b Kotak 46; Mudgal c Kuruvilla b Kotak 81; Kartik b Bahutule 11; Zaidi c Dighe b Kulkarni 15; Parida not out 0; Extras: (b-4, lb-7, nb-12, w-1): 24; Total (all out): 344Fall of wickets: 1-15, 2-52, 3-52, 4-93, 5-160, 6-211, 7-248, 8-301, 9-344

Bowling: Mambhrey 22-5-54-2, Siddique 19-4-36-0, Kuruvilla 24-7-63-2, N Kulkarni 29-8-79-2, Bahutule 16-2-64-2, Kanitkar 11-3-25-0, Kotak 2.4-0-12-2.West Zone (1st Innings): Dighe b J.P. Yadav 5; Jaffer c Mudgal b Kartik 15; Paranjpe c Khurasia b Parida 7; Kanitkar batting 62; Kale c Khurasia b J.P. Yadav 36; Mhambray batting 4; Extras (b-13, lb-7, nb-2): 22; Total (for 4 wkts): 151

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-33, 3-43, 4-147Bowling: Zaidi: 10-1-29-0, Kartik: 19-8-34-1, J P Yadav 13-6-18-2, Parida 8-3-30-1, Pandey 5-1-15-0, Mohd Kaif 1-0-5-0.