Young Mumbai opener Sahil Kukreja missed a maiden first class double hundred by one run, but his sterling innings left the holders' Ranji Trophy Elite Division Group A match against Delhi on a knife's edge.
Kukreja's magnificent knock, studded with 25 fours and a six, and his 174-run stand for the fifth wicket with hard-hitting Abhishek Nair saw Mumbai score 471 for 9 declared in their second innings on Day 3 of the match at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
The declaration, effected 21 minutes after tea, set Delhi, who led by 85 runs on the first innings, a victory target of 387.
At close, the visitors had progressed to 59 for no loss in 20 overs. Akash Chopra (33, with six fours) and Gautam Gambhir (22, with three fours) were at the crease when stumps were drawn.
The last day promises plenty of excitement, with Mumbai pressing to take 10 wickets against the visitors, who have to choose between chasing 328 in a minimum of 90 overs, or opt to play for a draw.
The hero of the day for the hosts was 22-year-old Kukreja while Delhi's young and nippy left-arm pacer Pradeep Sangwan too emerged with much credit after a five-wicket haul.
Kukreja carried on merrily from his overnight 89 and duly completed his hundred this morning and before losing his overnight partner and captain Amol Muzumdar and Rohit Sharma cheaply, which left Mumbai wobbly at 186 for 4.
The opener was finally out edging a drive and caught superbly by Chopra off Sangwan in the slips.
ScorecardMumbai (1st innings): 166
Delhi (1st innings): 251
Mumbai (2nd innings):
S Kukreja c Chopra b Sangwan 199
A Rahane c Bisht b Sangwan 20
P Naik lbw Narinder Singh 23
A Muzumdar lbw Sangwan 7
R Sharma c Bisht b Sangwan 0
A Nair b Sangwan 93
A Agarkar c Narinder Singh b Bhatia 60
V Samant b Ishant Sharma 6
R Powar c Manhas b Bhatia 3
B Patel not out 8
A Salvi not out 4
Extras: (b 22, lb 13, nb 10, w 3) 48
Total: (for 9 wkts decl in 112 overs) 471
Fall of wickets: 1-91, 2-137, 3-174, 4-186, 5-360, 6-390, 7-399, 8-408, 9-467
Bowling: Sangwan 27-4-102-5, I Sharma 27-6-73-1, Bhatia 10-2-28-2, Nanda 22-3-105-0, Sehwag 14-0-63-0, Narinder Singh 11-1-60-1, Manhas 1-0-5-0.
Delhi (2nd innings) (target: 387 runs)
A Chopra not out 33
G Gambhir not out 22
Extras: (nb 4) 4
Total: (for no loss, 20 overs) 59
To bat: V Sehwag, V Kohli, M Manhas, R Bhatia, P Bisht, I Sharma, C Nanda, PJ Sangwan, Narender Singh.
Bowling: Salvi 5-0-18-0, Agarkar 5-1-10-0, Powar 4-0-17-0, Nayar 5-2-13-0, B Patel 1-0-1-0.
