They came. They saw. They got smacked around.

And there appears to be no end in sight for a hapless West Indies side who were left battered and bruised after a miserable opening day in the first Test against Australia in Hobart.

Twin tons by Adam Voges (174no) and Shaun Marsh (139no) propelled the home side to 3-438 at stumps in an effort that thoroughly flattened the underdog tourists.

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It is the most runs conceded by a West Indies Test side in a day, and the performance will have given former greats Phil Simmons, Curtly Ambrose and Richie Richardson – now part of the coaching set-up – plenty of headaches.

How they respond on day two will be telling – not only for this Test and the series, but for the future of West Indian cricket.

Voges struck his highest Test score in an unbeaten 317 fourth wicket stand with good mate Marsh – the fifth highest partnership in the 85-year-old Australia-Windies Test history.

To add to the Windies’ woes, paceman Jerome Taylor had a shocker and Shannon Gabriel broke down injured.

There wasn’t much for the visitors to celebrate. Photo: Getty

“It is difficult when they have a good partnership to keep your head up,” spinner Jomel Warrican told reporters after play.

Australia made a blistering start with openers Joe Burns and David Warner piling on 75 runs in 11 overs before Burns (33) was bowled through the gate by a rare excellent delivery from Gabriel.

But left-armer Warrican (2-111) came into the attack to claim the vital first-session scalps of Warner (64) and skipper Steve Smith (10).

Much anticipation surrounded the return to the West Indies XI of Taylor (0-76) who missed the side’s warm-up game in Brisbane.

Shaun Marsh was delighted after scoring his first century on home soil. Photo: Getty

But he was far from the form that returned 6-47 against Australia in June in Jamaica.

“We each have bad days so we can’t be too hard on him,” Warrican said of his teammate.

“I guess he wasn’t on target today but I’m sure he will come back.”

The quickest of the West Indies’ bowling group, Gabriel (1-59), reached speeds of more than 157km/h.

But the right-armer bowled his last over before the tea break and left the ground during the final session complaining of pain in his left ankle.

Overnight scans would try to uncover the extent of the problem but Warrican said Gabriel’s loss would be great.

“It’s a major blow because it’s a bowler short and any bowler right now would be key to help us to get Australia out,” Warrican said.

“And he’s also the fastest bowler as well so he’s a very important part of our team.”

Warrican said there was a lack a discipline among the West Indies’ bowling group, which delivered inconsistent length and recorded 11 no-balls on day one.

The Hobart crowd enjoyed the day’s proceedings. Photo: Getty

There seemed to be a lack of communication among fielders and an overall languid approach.

A diplomatic Voges didn’t criticise the West Indies when asked if their attitude was up to Test standard.

“They toiled as hard as they could, they lost a bowler in Gabriel … so they’re a bowler down (and) there wasn’t a lot of assistance in the wicket for them,” he said.

Voges, 36, was untroubled by the pedestrian bowling attack and scored 40 of his first 50 runs via boundaries before coasting to his third Test century, this time off just 100 balls.

Marsh joined him on three figures in the final session as the fourth-wicket partnership bolted past 300 runs.

“I sort of started a little bit slow but once I got into my rhythm I felt really good out there and I think Vogesy really helped with that,” he said.

“He was going really well and scoring runs freely and sort of got me going as well.

“I thought he batted beautifully today and to be out there with one of my really good mates [and] to both get hundreds for our country was very special.”

– with AAP/ABC