Creek wagged its way to 172 runs through Sam taylor (82) and clinched the crucial first innings points, and despite a hat-trick from John Rogers the Vikings finished 7-259 with a 223-run lead.

An action-packed Saturday has set up a blockbuster final day at Chisholm Oval where Tuggeranong have to win outright if they want to lift the Douglas Cup.

Just when the Vikings began to gain the ascendancy on Saturday a hat-trick hero Rogers turned the game on its head.

Tuggeranong were cruising at 2-136 with a 100-run lead when the Creek skipper delivered the first hat-trick of his decorated career.

Rogers dismissed opener Kevin Chapman (65) caught at cover then sent Michael Barrington-Smith packing with the final ball of the over.

The trifecta was completed when Thomas Vane Tempest drove one back to Rogers who snared a sharp bootlace catch, but remarkably nobody realised what he'd just accomplished.

"I didn't know it was a hat-trick ball because it was between overs and there's a lot going through your head as a captain," Rogers said.

"It was a good catch, I jammed my finger under the ball, but nobody twigged it was a hat-rick so it was just a normal wicket celebration, then someone told me as I walked off at tee.

"I'm not really a bowler so wickets from my left arm mediums are pretty rare. We'll see if it was a handy hat-trick tomorrow afternoon."

Vikings star all-rounder Shane Devoy (45) was intent on making a captain's knock of his own and following collapse he dug in for a crucial 60-run partnership with Eric Witheridge.

Devoy said Creek hold the cards leading into day three but believes his men have what it takes to pull off one last come-from-behind victory.

"There's no denying Creek are in the box seat but we've come back from pretty tough positions all year and hopefully we've got one more Houdini escape left in us," Devoy said.

"I would be much nicer to head into day three with a first innings lead but we've put in a really good showing with bat and ball today and hopefully we can do it again tomorrow and put them under pressure.

"It's all about setting up the game so we have enough time to be able to bowl them out and if we play well there's no reason we can't turn it around and win."

Rogers believes the game is in the balance and said anything short of their best won't be good enough against quality opposition.

"They did well today after we got a little lead they played quite sensibly, so it's all to play for tomorrow," Rogers said.

"It's a flat wicket so if I was in Tuggeranong's shoes I'd probably want between 80-100 more runs, but they also need time to bowl us out on a flat wicket.

"We've probably got the upper hand with the first innings lead but we were under no illusions going into this game that it would go the three days and now we need to rock up tomorrow and attack the day."