Prince will be at the crease as South Africa try to save the game

South Africa will have six wickets still standing as they try to force a draw on the final day in Colombo.

With Sri Lanka leading by a mammoth 587 on first innings, the tourists had reached 311-4 by the end of day four.

Openers Jacques Rudolph and Andrew Hall (64) put on 165, before Dilhara Fernando and Muttiah Muralitharan - with two lbws - each struck twice.

Skipper Ashwell Prince is still there on 60 not out, and has added 77 with wicket-keeper Mark Boucher (38no).

South Africa, still 276 runs adrift, effectively have to bat out the last day to survive, after Saturday's marathon stand between Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

Jayawardene (374) and Sangakkara (287) had combined for a new record for any stand in first-class cricket as they put on 624.

Rudolph, opening the innings because of an illness to Herschelle Gibbs, and Hall had played sensibly and patiently to reach 150-0 by lunch.

We knew South Africa would come back hard in the second innings, but we have the bowlers to do the job tomorrow Tom Moody, Sri Lanka coach

Their eventual stand of 165 was a new record for South Africa against Sri Lanka, beating the 137 by Kepler Wessels and Andrew Hudson at the same venue in 1993/94.

However, once the breakthrough had been made when Rudolph edged Dilhara Fernando to Chamara Kapugedera at second slip, Hashim Amla and Hall fell quickly to leave them 209-3 by tea.

Amla was defeated by a full ball from Fernando which swung into his pads, before Muralitharan's decision to switch to round the wicket paid off instantly against Hall.

AB de Villiers was the only man to fall in the evening session, when he fatally missed with an attempted sweep.

During that time, the Proteas added a further 102 runs to their total, with Prince the model of defiance.

Gibbs will not be able to bat higher than number seven after suffering with a virus.

Fernando captured two wickets in the afternoon session

Hall said the team were confident a draw was within their grasp.

He said: "We are positive and have done well so far and I think it can be done. We are not a side to give up easily.

"The pitch is still very good. And if we compare our two innings, we had many soft dismissals in the first innings whilst we batted with purpose, determination and commitment in the second innings."

Rudolph echoed his team-mate's sentiments, saying: "It was a very big day. Tomorrow is equally important.

"If we could get through the first hour, we will have an excellent chance of saving the game. "As for me, I am disappointed to be out for 90. This is the fourth time I have got out there. I don't want to make this a habit."

Sri Lanka coach Tom Moody blamed the slow wicket for his side's inability to run through the opposition a second time.

"Ideally a wicket should help the spinners on the last three days, but this one is playing as true as ever," he said.