An unbeaten half-century from Kumar Sangakkara on day four helped give Sri Lanka hope of pulling off a record run-chase to win the first Test against South Africa at Galle.
The Proteas declared for the second time in the match at tea on day four with a lead of 369 and four sessions remaining to dismiss their hosts.
When Upul Tharanga fell with just 14 on the board at a ground that has never seen 300 made in the final innings, that looked like it would be a straightforward task.
But Sangakkara made 58 and Kaushal Silva contributed 37 in an unbeaten partnership of 96 to leave Sri Lanka needing 260 on the final day with nine wickets remaining.
It took the tourists less than five overs to take the one wicket they needed overnight with AB de Villiers claiming a stunning catch at second slip off the bowling of Morne Morkel to remove Rangana Herath for 19.
That gave the Proteas first-innings a lead of 163 runs on a ground where the highest winning total ever chased down is just 96.
South Africa were going at three an over for the first 11 overs but lost Dean Elgar for 12, as the first-innings centurion got an inside edge onto a Herath delivery and Dinesh Chandimal claimed the catch behind the stumps.
Alviro Petersen dispatched Dilruwan Perera to the boundary twice in three balls but the bowler had his revenge in his next over thanks to an absolute ripper which feathered the edge.
Skipper Hashim Amla was Perera's second wicket with Tharanga taking a low catch at short mid-on to bring De Villiers to the crease.
He and Faf du Plessis put on 43 for the fourth wicket before Herath got one to bite and turn and take out the latter's off stump for 37.
De Villiers and Quinton de Kock then decided it was time to up the pace as the pair hit six boundaries in five overs to edge South Africa closer to what they thought would be a safe declaration.
De Villiers reached his fifty off just 55 balls, but was gone for the addition of only one more, clean bowled to become Perera's third scalp.
De Kock looped one back to him to take the bowler's figures to 4-79 and with that Amla brought his men in at 206 for six - a lead of 369.
The hosts had four sessions left with thoughts most likely on saving the Test. They got off to a poor start as Tharanga nicked Dale Steyn behind for just 13 in the third over.
That brought Sangakkara to the crease with Sri Lanka in desperate need for their talisman to perform and he did not disappoint, guiding them to the close at 110 for one alongside Kaushal and keeping the Test nicely placed.