Boland captain Clyde Fortuin and experienced opening batter Pieter Malan brought up centuries on Day Three and dragged the visiting side back into the game at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday.
Having started Day Three on 159/3, trailing by 433 runs, Fortuin and Malan needed to apply themselves against an attack that features Proteas Test bowler Dane Paterson.
The duo did exactly that as they combined for a mammoth 209-run-partnership for the fourth wicket.
Malan brought up his 41st First-Class century while Fortuin reached his third century, helping Boland to post 318 runs all out.
Jody Lawrence was the pick of the bowlers as he returned figures of 4/58 and was supported by Paterson, who returned 2/61 as Province were forced to bat for the second time, having scored a mammoth 592 first innings total.
Having had a good day with the bat, the Boland opening bowlers, Glenton Stuurman (1/21) and Akhona Mnyaka (1/27), started like a house on fire, removing both Province's opening batters with the new ball.
Mnyaka struck first, removing Daniel Smith (5) in the fourth over of the innings. Stuurman struck soon after, accounting for Proteas opening batter Tony de Zorzi (8) to leave the hosts reeling on 30/2.
Despite the pressure the visiting bowlers had built, Eddie Moore (44*) and David Bedingham (43*) brought about calm to the host's batting innings and guided them to 106/2 at close.
Province head into the final day of the match with a 380 run lead and will be looking to score quickly and hope their bowling attack is able to take ten wickets and win them the match.
Dithole scores fifth First-Class century
In a match that saw only 26 overs bowled in the opening two days, it was almost certain that the fixture was going toward a draw.
It became more of a certainty when a wet outfield further delayed the scheduled 9.30 am start on Day Three, further frustrating the two teams who would have hoped to secure a home final in the penultimate fixture at the Wanderers.
With both teams having almost forgotten about getting a decisive result in the match, it was a battle of securing batting and bowling bonus points at the Bullring on Saturday.
Jason Smith, the in-form Dolphins batter, made his intent clear when play resumed as he was aggressive but was shortly bowled by a peach of a delivery from Lions fast bowler Codi Yusuf.
Though Yusuf (3/48) and Lutho Sipamla (1/54) were impressive with the ball, it was Dolphins opening batter Tshepang Dithole who stole the show on Day Three with the left-handed batter bringing up his fifth First-Class century.
Despite losing batting partners, Dithole remained resolute throughout the 42 overs bowled on Saturday as the 32-year-old finished the day on an unbeaten 154 off 209 deliveries.
Bad light brought the end to the day's play on Saturday with the Dolphins on 294/5.