On a dusty bowl, Zaidi blended a few leg-breaks with telling effect to mark the downfall of Sameer Dighe (14), Jatin Paranjape (18) and Hrishikesh Kanitkar (0). While Dighe and Paranjape can take recourse in being unfortunate as both were dismissed after playing the ball onto the stumps, the fact remains that the Uttar Pradesh bowler made them commit it. Led to shoulder total responsibility of the pace department owing to Jai Prakash Yadav's ankle injury, Zaidi underlined his abilities with a stirring display. His second spell (5.5-2-8-3), interrupted after Dighe's dismissal in the last over of the day, has left West with a herculean task on the concluding day of the five-day duel tomorrow. And if they do manage to post another 222 runs, then the West Zone batsmen can well be decorated with the O' Henry Award for `Sensational Conclusion'. Until Zaidi pitchforked himself into the limelight, it was team-mate Gagan Khoda's batting brilliance (107) that shone through the day. The other Central Zone batsmen,however, failed to compliment Khoda and succumbed to the guiles of left-arm spinners Sitanshu Kotak and Nilesh Kulkarni.

Central, who were cruising at 179-3 at one stage, after resuming the day on 58-1, lost way once Khoda departed. Seven wickets fell in an hour for the addition of 24 runs which paved way for an interesting finish. For the first time in the match, West were eyeing victory which was 267 runs and a possible 120 overs away.

Kulkarni did most of the damage claiming three wickets of seven balls. The industrious Kotak, who triggered the slide, captured four wickets in all to register his best display in the tourney. Abey Kuruvilla, who impressed with his precision and variations, had to be content with two victims.