Mahela Jaywardene blasted a massive double century to leave the Sinhalese Sports Club in a formidable position against Tamil Union, whilst Colts Cricket Club spinners fought back at the Sara Oval to leave them with a great chance of victory against Nondescripts CC, the defending champions.
Having ended the second day of their semi-final on the verge of a first innings win, SSC made a stuttering start to the third day. Thilan Samaraweera (29) was caught by Niroshan Bandaratillake and MN Silva was trapped lbw first ball - Pramodya Wickramasinghe taking bow wickets.
But Jayawardene was soon into his stride. The SSC captain, who has been playing a high profile role in the Sri Lankan Cricketers' Association cancer appeal this week, carried on where he left off the previous evening, surging towards a double hundred.
He was supported well by Nuwan Zoysa, a player with real pretensions of playing an all-rounders role in the Sri Lanka side, who scored 55 from 81 balls, adding 108 runs for the seventh wicket.
Jayawardene was eventually dismissed for 274 by Wickramasinghe - the veteran medium pacer taking five wickets in the innings - having faced just 296 balls. He cracked 31 fours and four sixes. SSC finished with 561.
In their second innings, Tamil Union struggled, finishing the day on 145 for five, apparently heading for a heavy defeat on the final day. Samaraweera and Ruchira Perera both picked up a brace of wickets.
Colts CC has struggled during the first two days against NCC at P.Saravanumuttu, but on the third day they fought themselves back into the game, to leave them in the driving seat as they enter the final day.
The fight-back was led by the Colts CC spinners - Dinuk Hettiarachchi (4 for 45) and Muthumudalige Pushpakumara (three for 46) - who bowled out NCC for just 190 in their second innings.
NCC were looking in control, with Kumar Sangakkara scoring 37 and Russel Arnold 50, before the lower middle order collapsed, the last five wickets falling for just 46 runs.
Needing 217 runs to win the game, Colts CC lost two early wickets, before an unbeaten 99 runs for the third wicket between Sajith Fernando (38* from 99 balls) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (67* from 97 balls) swung the match towards Colts CC, who finished the day on 131 for two, needing 86 more for a win.
© CricInfo
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