Two wickets each by spinners Rohit Jadhav and Sairaj Bahutule in the last half hour gave Maharashtra visions of an outright victory over former champions Mumbai on a dramatic third and penultimate day in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group 'A' tie at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
Chasing 226 for victory, Mumbai inched to the target, but were precariously placed at 155 for seven at stumps in their second innings, still 71 runs short.
Ramesh Powar was unbeaten on two, while Nilesh Kulkarni is yet to open his account.
Off-spinner Jadhav claimed the crucial wickets of Vinit Indulkar and Amol Mazumdar, while leg-spinner Bahutule sent back the formidable Nishit Shetty and Abhishek Nair as Maharashtra made a remarkable comeback for the second time in the match.
After being bowled out for a paltry 187 in their second innings 19 minutes before lunch, Maharashtra fought their way back as Mumbai lost wickets at regular intervals.
Only a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Indulkar and Muzumdar and a 57-run fifth wicket partnership between Muzumdar and Shetty brought hope of victory to the hosts at one stage, after they were 35 for three.
Scorecard
Maharashtra (1st innings): 213
Mumbai (1st innings): 175
Maharashtra 2nd innings (overnight 73-3)
S Satbhai c Shetty b Hazare 10
D Jadhav c Muzumdar b Verma 17
H Kanitkar c Indulkar b Powar 16
M Nigde c Shetye b Verma 31
A Kale c Marathe b Hazare 1
S Bahutule c Marathe b Powar 26
A Raut c Shetye b Hazare 0
A Sanclecha c Muzumdar b Powar 45
M Patel c Hazare b Powar 20
R Jadhav not out 8
S Burkul c Shetty b Powar 0
Extras: (b 9, lb 2, w 2) 13
Total: (all out, 55.5 overs, 249 mins) 187
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-31, 3-73, 4-78, 5-79, 6-79, 7-152, 8-166, 9-183, 10-187
Bowling: Hazare 16 3 59 3 (2w), Verma 14 3 44 2, Powar 13.5 2 43 5, Nair 3 1 5 0, Kulkarni 9 2 25 0
Mumbai (2nd innings): (target: 226 runs)
S Kukreja b Bahutule 9
S Marathe c Kanitkar b Patel 4
A Shetye lbw Patel 13
V Indulkar c Bahutule b RP Jadhav 34
A Muzumdar c Kanitkar b RP Jadhav 46
N Shetty c Satbhai b Bahutule 37
A Nair b Bahutule 0
R Powar not out 2
N Kulkarni not out 0
Extras: (lb 8, w 2) 10
Total: (7 wickets, 60 overs) 155
Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-29, 3-35, 4-95, 5-152, 6-153, 7-154
Bowling: Patel 15 6 39 2, Burkul 8 3 21 0, Sanclecha 10 3 28 0 (2w), Bahutule 17 7 33 3, R Jadhav 10 4 26 2
