(on nine) off Darren Pattinson (0-36 off four overs) and Blizzard (on 42) off Hastings in what proved to be match-defining moments.
Hastings finally got the breakthough in the 27th over when he clean bowled Dighton who ended up with nine fours and two sixes, which were both thumped off Hodge (0-25 off three overs), to his credit.
Paine and Cowan came together in the 30th over and while the first nine overs of their partnership saw them both predominately work the ball around for twos and singles, Cowan broke the shackles when he smacked a huge straight six of Bryce McGain in the 38th over.
Cowan then had his sights on Damien Wright, hitting three boundaries off his second spell to inflate the former Tasmanian's figures from 0-20 off seven overs (including the only maiden of the innings) to 0-51 by the time he bowled out.
Cowan's innings came to an end when he was caught at mid-off by debutant Glenn Maxwell off McDonald.
Paine was also sent back to the pavilion by McDonald 12 runs later when he was caught behind by Wade.
Tasmania innings
Dighton b Hastings 80 (91)
Paine c Wade b McDonald 100 (118)
Bailey c Wade b Hastings 6 (9)
Cowan c Maxwell b McDonald 61 (55)
Lockyear not out 28 (13)
Krejza st Wade b McDonald 8 (7)
Drew run out (Blizzard) 9 (4)
Marsh not out 3 (3)
Extras: 9 (3b, 1lb, 5w)
Total: 304 (6 wickets; 50 overs)
FOW: 1-132, 2-140, 3-251, 4-263, 5-278, 6-287
Bowling
Wright 10 – 1 – 51 – 0
Pattinson 4 – 0 – 36 – 0
Hastings 10 – 0 – 67 – 2 (1w)
McDonald 10 – 0 – 60 – 3 (1w)
McGain 9 – 0 – 41 – 0
Hodge 3 – 0 – 25 – 0
Maxwell 4 – 0 – 20 – 0 (1w)
Victoria innings
Rogers b Denton 14 (26)
Blizzard c Lockyear b Denton 1 (5)
Hodge c Cowan b Denton 14 (23)
Finch c Bailey b Faulkner 28 (43)
McDonald c Bailey b Denton 64 (80)
Wade run out (Krejza/Doherty) 40 (50)
Hastings c Marsh b Doherty 2 (5)
Maxwell c Faulkner b Denton 9 (11)
Wright lbw b Doherty 1 (3)
Pattinson not out 4 (4)
McGain lbw b Drew 1 (3)
Extras: 16 (6lb, 10w)
Total: 194 (all out; 42.1 overs)
FOW: 1-10, 2-32, 3-35, 4-90, 5-172, 6-178, 7-180, 8-186, 9-192, 10-194
Bowling
Krejza 8 – 0 – 29 – 0 (1w)
Denton 9 – 0 – 45 – 5 (6w)
Doherty 10 – 1 – 43 – 2 (1w)
Drew 6.1 – 0 – 29 – 1 (1w)
Faulkner 4 – 0 – 17 – 1
Dighton 3 – 0 – 14 – 0 (1w)
Marsh 2 – 0 – 11 – 0