Led by opener Gugale's 56 not out from 100 balls in an unbroken 90-run stand with Chirag Khurana, Maharashtra closed the day on a positive note.
Swapnil Gugale scored a half-century as Maharashtra finished day three on 110 for one in reply to Tamil Nadu's massive first innings total of 549, in the Ranji Trophy semi-final on Friday.
Led by opener Gugale's 56 not out from 100 balls in an unbroken 90-run stand with Chirag Khurana (36 batting), Maharashtra closed the day on a positive note.
Last season's runners-up still have an improbable task in hand, needing 440 runs to secure a first innings lead and ensure a final berth in the match heading towards a draw.
Ranji Trophy: Mumbai face daunting 445-run target against Karnataka
Resuming on 426 for five, Tamil Nadu's innings finally folded one hour and 15 minutes after lunch in an ironical way when Prasanth Paramaswaran (0) was run out by Anupam Sanklecha while responding to Malolan Rangarajan's call for a second. Rangarajan was left stranded at the other end with 67 not out (147 balls) as Tamil Nadu batted for 226.4 overs, spanning 16 hours and 40 minutes at a run-rate of 2.42.
Ranji Trophy: Mumbai hit new low; skittled out for 44 by Karnataka on Day One
Earlier Sanklecha (3/115) dismissed the two overnight batsmen, Baba Indrajith (69) and Ramaswamy Prasanna (72), both caught at slips by Harshad Khadiwale.The tired Maharashtra bowlers slogged to bundle them out as the last three wickets added 105 crucial runs that centred around Rangarajan, who in the process completed his fourth first-class fifty.
Maharashtra started scoring freely from ball number one with Gugale slicing Parameswaran through the third man boundary.
Gugale lost his senior opening partner Khadiwale (14) early when the latter's defence was breached by Laxmipathy Balaji's incoming delivery, though Khurana gave Maharashtra some ray of hope.
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