South African batters Aiden Markram and Wiaan Mulder will look to make early inroads into the remaining 319 runs needed to win on the final morning of the first Test against Australia in Durban on Tuesday.
An early tea accompanied the Aussie declaration, with the Proteas left facing a daunting world-record run chase for victory as the tourists amassed 281 across the first two sessions, stretching their 139-run lead from day three to 420 after finishing on 314/6 declared at the tea break on the penultimate day.
When play eventually came to a close, SA were 102/4 with Markram on 45 and Wiaan Mulder (5) still at the crease.
The Proteas lost two wickets in an extended final session when Ryan Rickelton added just two runs to his match total after his first innings duck, when he tried to attack Josh Hazlewood, but edged the ball, which was comfortably gloved by Alex Carey behind the stumps.
David Bedingham, who joined Markram in the middle, increased the scoring rate and frustrated the Aussie bowlers as they took the home side past 50.
Approaching a half-century of his own for the second time in the match, Bedingham was trapped leg before wicket by Hazlewood for 46 from 68, having struck eight boundaries.
Captain Temba Bavuma and Tristan Stubbs fell for one run each before Markram and Mulder saw SA to the close of play.
Earlier, Australia resumed on 33 without loss and added 141 runs in the morning session at 4.83 an over.
Marco Jansen made the first breakthrough by removing Travis Head for 11, but Nic Maddinson continued his aggressive approach, striking six fours and two sixes until Anrich Nortje ended his innings of 48 from 38 balls as Australia moved to 72/2.
Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith then combined for the most substantial partnership of the morning, adding 53 from 77 balls.
Left-arm slow bowler Keshav Maharaj eventually broke the stand by having Labuschagne caught for 37, but Smith continued to frustrate the hosts.
He added another 32 with Matt Renshaw before he was removed by Simon Harmer for 27, leaving Renshaw unbeaten on 32 at lunch alongside Alex Carey on five, with the total on 174/4, a lead of 280.
The pressure on SA eased briefly after the interval, but Renshaw once again proved a significant obstacle, following up his match-defining 190 in the first innings by chalking up his half-century from 75 balls, while pushing the lead towards 400.
Carey made a useful 24 from 39 balls before having his stumps destroyed by Nortje, who claimed his second wicket, before a stubborn Renshaw and Beau Webster added 65 for the sixth wicket.
The left-hander was finally dismissed for 82 from 99 balls, having struck seven fours and two sixes, with Maharaj taking a brilliant catch off his own bowling to claim his second wicket of the innings.
That brought Australia to 270/6, but the declaration was still to come, and the visitors launched a furious final assault.
Webster remained unbeaten on 39 from 43 balls, hitting five fours, while captain Pat Cummins produced one of the most aggressive cameos of the innings, smashing an unbeaten 32 from just 12 deliveries, including four sixes.
The pair added 44 runs from only 20 balls, taking Australia from 270/6 to 314/6 before Cummins declared after 58 overs with an early tea break taken to facilitate the innings changeover.
Nortje finished with 2/56 from 12 overs and Maharaj 2/56 from nine, while Harmer's 25 overs cost 121 runs for one wicket as Jansen returned 1/45 from his eight overs.
