At 3-55, Aussies were salivating over the prospect of a low score being chased down in the brisk Tassie conditions.
Unfortunately Faf du Plessis and David Miller had other ideas as they dug in their heels and began building the foundations of a solid innings.
The duo would go on to record the highest ever ODI partnership against Australia, but it all could have been so different.
Several missed opportunities cost the Aussies dearly with none bigger than keeper Alex Carey dropping a sharp catch chance of du Plessis when he was on just 29 runs.
Glenn Maxwell drew the edge of the South African skippers bat, but Carey wasn't able to reel in the catch as Adam Gilchrist offered up words of advice from the commentary box.
"There was just slight tenseness in his hands there," Gilchrist said.
"Just watch his hands, he's got the gloves nice and wide, presenting as much glove as possible for the ball to take a deflection, but with that you can just tense up a little bit."
The drop cost the Aussies 96 runs as du Plessis went on to make a staggering 125 as he and Miller combined for 252 runs.
The partnership didn't come without controversy as Miller was given out LBW after being struck on the pad by a Maxwell delivery.
Umpire Aleem Dar threw his finger up, but a last-second review from the Proteas star saved his bacon with Hawkeye proving the ball would have travelled over the castle.
"He cannot believe that," Brendon Julian said from the commentary box.
Cricket sleuths rewinded their TVs and caught the umpire in an error. Under DRS rules, a player has just 15 seconds to decide to review a decision. Du Plessis took 19.
Take a look at this video in the player above and decide for yourself.
Julian however said the innings could have gone completely differently had the Aussies cashed in on the near chances.
"We just missed opportunities, there was the caught behind of Faf when he was on 29 off Glenn Maxwell," Julian said to news.com.au.
"Then you had the Miller LBW that didn't quite go their way, then Aaron Finch probably should have got a hand on one that went wide of him at mid-on.
"There were about three or four opportunities that the Aussies didn't take that would have made it totally different.
"But in the end you've got to give credit to that batting partnership, that's a record partnership for them and at a record rate."
It was then the Aussies' turn to head to the crease and disaster struck immediately as new opener Chris Lynn was sent packing off the first official ball of the innings.
Only moments later, things went from bad to worse as Australian skipper Aaron Finch found his way walking back to the sheds after spooning the easiest of catches to Kagiso Rabada at mid-on.
Former opener Travis Head was then brought to the crease as the fourth batsmen and a nervous start was soon brought to an end. Leaving the Aussies stranded at 3-39.
Then Marcus Stoinis and Shaun Marsh set about getting the locals back into the contest and soon had nerves piling up for the South Africans.
Sending the ball to all parts of the oval, the duo had things back on track but some heavy hitting brought about the undoing of Stoinis.
An often criticised cricketer, Marsh was at his mercurial best with the bat in hand as he brought up a stunning century at better than a run a ball.
Unfortunately the very next over his innings was cruelly brought to an end after trying to loft another ball into the stands.
The loss of his wicket effectively ended the Aussies' hopes despite some late wild swinging from Glenn Maxwell.
David Miller was named the player of the match and the series after recording 192 runs at an average of 96 throughout the series.
Australia and South Africa will face off next weekend in the first T20 game of the summer.
