Sri Lanka 'A' set West Zone a winning target of 466 after declaring their second innings at 290 for 7 in the Duleep Trophy match in Cuttack on Sunday.
The West Zone batsmen took up the challenge, scoring 125 for loss of two wickets by close of play on the third day of the match.
West Zone now need 341 runs to win on the final day, Monday. Much of the run chase will depend on not out batsmen Wasim Jaffer and Amol Muzumdar, who were unbeaten at the crease with 56 and 46 runs respectively.
Earlier, resuming at their overnight score of 83 for one, the Sri Lankans lost wickets at regular intervals before declaring at 290 for 7.
Michael Vendort, M Warnapura and Chamara Silva scored half centuries while Jehan Mubarak and T Samaraweera scored 40 and 35 runs respectively.
Rajesh Pawar claimed two wickets for 92 runs while the rest of the bowlers one each.
With 33 overs of play remaining West Zone started their run chase at a brisk pace. Jaffer and Dhiraj Yadav opened the innings but Yadav fell to Dhamika Prasad for 2 runs. Rohit Sharma also departed early scoring only 15.
Muzumdar and Jaffer played some fine strokes all around the wicket and took the score to 125 for 2 at close of the play.
Scoreboard
Sri Lanka (1st innings): 325
West Zone (1st innings): 149
Sri Lanka 'A' (2nd innings): ( overnight score 83 for 1)
Michael Vandort c Zaheer Khan b.Rohit Yadav 54
Mahella Udawatte c Kiran Powar b S Trivedy 10
Malinga Warnapura c Dhiraj Yadav b Zaheer Khan 56
Thilan Samaraweera st Parthiv Patel b Rajesh Pawar 35
Jehan Mubarak c Jaffer b Kiran Powar 40
Chamara Silva c Jaffer b Rajesh Pawar 57
Upul Chandana st Parthiv Patel b Ravindra Jadeja 29
Rangana Herath not out 3
Extras: (B-1,LB-2, NB-2, W-1) 6
Total: (in 76.3 overs) 290 for 7 declared.
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-119, 3-123, 4-183, 5-227, 6-285, 7-290.
Bowling: Zaheer 12-3-35-1, Sidharth Trivedi 15-1-62-1, Rohit Jadhav 18-4-47-1, Rajesh Pawar 18.3-1-92-2, Ravinder Jadeja 3-0-15-1.
West Zone (2nd innings):
Wasim Jaffer not out 56
Dhiraj Yadav c Jehan Mubarak b Dhamika Prasad 2
Rohit Sharma c kaushal Silva b A Ganagama 15
Amol Muzumdar not out 46
Extras: (B-5, W-1) 6
Total: (125 for 2 wickets in 33 overs)
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-28
Bowling: A Ganegama 7-1-37-1, Dharmika Prasa 7-1-27-1, Rangana Herath 11-1-36-0, Upul Chandana 8-1-20-0.
