Australia's lunchtime declaration was a technical manoeuvre for the hosts, probably seen by spectators as a sympathetic gesture, and the end of a nightmare for the West Indies.
After losing the toss and being handed the ball at Bellerive Oval the tourists struggled with motivation, fitness and form in four sessions until the Aussies forced the changeover at 4(dec)-583.
And the dire situation faced by Jason Holder's men ran deeper than the scoreline suggested, said former Australian allrounder Tom Moody who spoke with the West Indies captain after day one.
"One of the frustrations for Holder ... (was) none of the quicks wanted to bowl from the southern end. Into that breeze, uphill was a challenge for them all," Moody told Fox Sports on Friday.
"At the end of the day you've just got to do your work at whatever end it is that your offered."
It wasn't that members of the West Indies' bowling attack were refusing to take the ball from the Derwent River end, Moody clarified, but more that they were showing a preference against it.
"They were all finding it difficult to get rhythm from that southern end."
Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (3-158) was the pick of the listless West Indies bowling group, taking the vital scalps of David Warner (64), Steve Smith (10) and Shaun Marsh (182).
Expectations that the visiting fast bowlers would fire on an early green Bellerive pitch were quickly dashed.
Jerome Taylor (0-108) had been named as the headline act for the West Indies but was instead costly across his 17 overs with an economy of 6.35 runs an over.
Kemar Roach (0-99) wasn't much better with an economy of 6.18 off his 16 overs.
The side's fastest bowler Shannon Gabriel (1-59) left the ground after two sessions complaining of pain in his left ankle.
Overnight scans ruled out a fracture but Gabriel is unlikely to return for the Hobart fixture and pending further examination might not complete the tour.
