Struggling West Indies not giving up hope

West Indies are depleted and vulnerable to Australia's mastery of day-night Tests but they've not given up hope they can salvage the second Test and avoid a 2-0 whitewash at Adelaide Oval.

Following the batting masterclass of Marnus Labuschagne and Travis Head on day one, West Indies coach Phil Simmons said he was optimistic his side too could capitalise on what appeared a batter-friendly deck when they had the chance to return serve.

But when Australia sent West Indies in to bat after storming their way to a declaration at 7-511, the previously flat wicket appeared to come to life and thwart the tourists' ambitions.

Son-of-a-gun Tagenarine Chanderpaul (47no) was West Indies' shining light, memorably belting Nathan Lyon over deep midwicket for the first six of the Test match, but the tourists are 4-102 at stumps on day two and still trail by 409 runs.

"It's a long task," batting allrounder Devon Thomas said of his side's hopes.

"I think that if we could get some partnerships and stuff together, if we could at least get about 280, we could at least save the match."

West Indies have lost Kemar Roach (hamstring), Jayden Seales (knee), Kyle Mayers (shoulder) and Nkrumah Bonner (concussion) to injury this series and had to use Adelaide club cricketer Omar Phillips as an emergency fielder on day one.

While the casualties have not helped West Indies in their bid for an upset, they have not broken the side's spirit.

"We always have good mood, good camaraderie and stuff like that," Thomas said. 

"You can't complain about the mood."

Pink-ball aficionado Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins' replacement Scott Boland had the hosts off to a formidable start with the new ball but it was Michael Neser who proved the biggest handful for West Indies' top order early on.

Neser produced the consistent line and length that West Indies could not and was rewarded for his troubles with the wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite, by far West Indies' best batter in the first Test.

The Queenslander pitched outside off stump and Brathwaite edged straight to Alex Carey. 

Nothing better summed up West Indies' struggles to acclimatise to the conditions than Shamarh Brooks' dismissal, which was almost a carbon copy of his captain's.

It wasn't just pace that troubled West Indies, with Jermaine Blackwood going in single figures too, caught and bowled by Lyon. 

The wicket marked the seventh time Lyon had dismissed Blackwood in Test cricket.

After Cameron Green broke what was shaping as a promising partnership with Thomas (19), Chanderpaul continued to take it up to the hosts to finish the session with four boundaries to his name.

But he'll need some help on day three if the tourists are any chance of mounting a comeback.