AB de Villiers, Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Kallis earned South Africa a commanding lead in the third Test against the West Indies on Saturday.
South Africa were 521 for eight at close of play on the third day, an advantage of 225 runs.
Opener De Villiers scored a career-best 178, Dippenaar made 71 and Kallis hit 78.
"I think we're ready to go out and bowl," De Villiers told a news conference.
"If we can take four or five wickets before they wipe out our lead, I think we will have a good chance."
De Villiers and Dippenaar, who resumed on 253 for one, set the tone for the day with a partnership of 143 for the second wicket.
West Indies struggled to penetrate on a sound batting pitch and captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul's field placings were invariably defensive. The home side, however, picked up four wickets after tea.
De Villiers and Dippenaar were largely untroubled until substitute fielder Dwayne Smith separated the pair in the last over before lunch.
Dippenaar was run out when Smith dashed from fine leg to backward square to throw down the stumps at the non-striker's end.
Smith was on the field for Dwayne Bravo, who left holding a towel to his face after being struck by a ball driven into the covers by Dippenaar.
MINOR CUT
Bravo, who fielded in sunglasses, sustained a minor cut above his left eyebrow that did not require stitches. He returned to the field after lunch.
De Villiers batted on until the eighth over before tea when he edged a full delivery from fast bowler Reon King and was caught by wicketkeeper Courtney Browne.
It was King's 50th Test wicket and ended a third-wicket stand of 58 between De Villiers and Kallis.
De Villiers, whose previous best was 109 against England in Centurion in January, showed maturity and patience in his 10th Test.
He batted for 10 hours, faced 351 balls and hit 15 fours and a six.
"I enjoyed my innings because I was more patient than normal," De Villiers said.
"My plan was to see how long I could bat for. I was looking for 200 and it was disappointing not to get there."
Ten balls before tea Herschelle Gibbs pushed forward to a ball from off spinner Chris Gayle and was caught by Bravo at slip for eight.
Ashwell Prince went for 23 when Bravo flung himself to his right at slip to claim a spectacular catch off Gayle's bowling.
With eight overs to go, Kallis played forward to medium pacer Wavell Hinds and edged to Smith at slip.
Fast bowler Daren Powell forced Mark Boucher to play on to his stumps for 28 and then had a driving Monde Zondeki caught by Chanderpaul at cover for two.
Nicky Boje was eight not out at the close with Makhaya Ntini on seven.
Gayle, who finished with three for 85, said: "We are behind the eight-ball and we really have to try hard out there.
"It's not going to be easy but nothing is easy in Test cricket."
Scoreboard
West Indies 1st innings
W. Hinds c Smith b Ntini 1
C. Gayle c Boucher b Nel 0
R. Sarwan c Prince b Nel 10
B. Lara b Nel 176
S. Chanderpaul c Boucher b Zondeki 53
R. Hinds c Boucher b Kallis 10
D. Bravo c Smith b Zondeki 26
C. Browne c Zondeki b Nel 5
D. Powell c Boucher b Zondeki 3
F. Edwards c Dippenaar b Zondeki 2
R. King not out 0
Extras: (b-1, lb-3, nb-5, w-1) 10
Total: (all out, 92.2 overs) 296
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-12, 3-12, 4-150, 5-171, 6-286, 7-288, 8-292, 9-296, 10-296
Bowling: Nel 21.2-3-56-4 (nb-1), Ntini 17-2-61-1, Kallis 14-6-37-1 (w-1), Zondeki 16-1-50-4 (nb-4), Smith 8-1-23-0, Boje 16-2-65-0
South Africa (1st innings): (Overnight: 253-1)
G. Smith c W. Hinds b Gayle 104
A. Villiers c Browne b King 178
B. Dippenaar run out 71
J. Kallis b W. Hinds 78
H. Gibbs c Bravo b Gayle 8
A. Prince c Bravo b Gayle 23
M. Boucher b Powell 28
N. Boje not out 8
M. Zondeki c Chanderpaul b Powell 2
M. Ntini not out 7.
Extras: (lb-1, nb-13) 14.
Total: (for 8 wickets, 172 overs) 521
Fall of wickets: 1-191, 2-334, 3-392, 4-410, 5-450, 6-496, 7-502, 8-504.
To bat: A. Nel
Bowling: Edwards 30-3-101-0 (nb-5); King 30-5-80-1 (nb-6); Powell 28-2-89-2 (nb-1); Bravo 29-3-73-0 (nb-1); R. Hinds 18-1-67-0; Gayle 27-3-85-3; W. Hinds 9-2-18-1; Sarwan 1-0-7-0.
