A white mint has overshadowed South Africa's bid for a series whitewash in Australia but the pink ball is what will determine the tourists' fate in the dead rubber.
Skipper Faf du Plessis was found guilty of ball tampering on Tuesday but cleared to play the day-night Test that starts at Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Du Plessis has vowed to appeal the verdict and fine of approximately $2500.
Of more pressing concern for the batsman is his side's first day-night Test.
Du Plessis was forced to skip training on Tuesday to attend the International Cricket Council hearing, denying him a much-needed twilight hit in the nets.
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The Proteas were initially reluctant to sign up for a day-night Test, having harboured concerns about being inadequately prepared for the innovative fixture.
"We've got a great opportunity to beat Australia 3-0 for the first time in history and that's what our focus is on at the moment," South Africa coach Russell Domingo said.
"We're not too concerned whether it's a pink, white or red (ball) ... we just want to play the Test match.
"There might have been some reluctance, based on feedback gained from (Australian) guys who had played in the previous day-night Test.
"But that's all hunky-dory, we're good to go and ready to play."
Australia have never suffered a whitewash in a home Test series since federation, a streak that appears at great danger of ending based on how Vernon Philander, Kyle Abbott and Kagiso Rabada bowled in Hobart.
However, the question of how the visitors' batsmen will handle facing the pink ball under lights is more complex.
Domingo urged his side to adopt the same mindset of Quinton de Kock, who scored a century in a day-night tour game at Adelaide Oval last month.
"He said it's just another ball. Somebody asked him about batting at dusk and he said it was the easiest time to bat," Domingo said.
"So that's the sort of attitude we're going in with - it's just another cricket ball.
"It might be a different colour, but we are playing on a cricket pitch and they have all played under lights before."
