Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai suffered a batting collapse and were shot out for a paltry 182 in their second innings, but still set the Rest of India an imposing target of 480 to win the Irani Cup, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
At stumps on the fourth and penultimate day of the match, the Rest, who conceded a huge first innings lead of 297, were 100 for the loss of opener K S Bharat's (42) wicket, whittling down the lead to 380.
Vidarbha's Faiz Fazal (41) and Bengal's Sudip Chatterjee (17) were the unbeaten Rest batsmen who will carry on the run chase on Friday at the Brabourne Stadium.
Earlier, Mumbai, who did not enforce the follow-on last evening and resumed on Day 4 at their overnight second innings score of 2 for 1, were shot out for 182 in 51.2 overs. The spin-pace combine of Jayant Yadav (4 for 93) and Jaydev Unadkat (3 for 16) check them in their stride.
Jay Bista, who notched his maiden first class hundred in the first innings, scored 38, Suryakumar Yadav got 49 off 76 balls and Siddhesh Lad top-scored with 60, his second half century of the match, off 109 balls.
Chasing the daunting victory target, the Rest got off to a good start of 66 before Bharat was castled by left-arm slow bowler Iqbal Abdullah off the 73rd ball he faced.
Fazal and Chatterjee, both of whom struck four fours, added 34 runs for the unbroken second-wicket before the day's play ended.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai: 603 & 182 all out (J Bista 38, S Yadav 49, S Lad 60; J Yadav 4-93, J Unadkat 3-16, S Binny 2-41).
Rest of India: 306 & 100-1 (K S Bharat 42, F Fazal 41 not out, S Chatterjee 17 not out).
Image: Mumbai's Siddhesh Lad raises his bat after scoring his second half-century of the match.
Photograph: Sahil Salvi
