It's grim to put it so bluntly, but whenever the West Indies play Test cricket these days, their opposition invariably sees it as preparation for something more meaningful. So while England may have been in Birmingham in August for the opening day of this series, the match is all about readying themselves for Adelaide in December.
Yet, on account of the increasingly laughable Caribbean opposition, an Ashes primer this was not. Sure, the ball was pink and the crowd were loose. But that's where comparisons to the coming summer's day-night tryst virtually end.
It will be different gravy when the lights go on in Adelaide. For starters, the ball will be a Kookaburra and the pitch will be harder than a cat's head. Even the lunch and tea breaks will be flipped around from how administrators have set them at Edgbaston, the longer interval at dinner rather than a (very) belated lunch.
As for the bowlers, the only similarities between the seamers played by West Indies and the quartet of quicks Australia will pick from against the old enemy is that there are four of them.
One of the alleged truisms of day-night Test cricket is that the pink ball serves as a great leveller. But that proposition is predicated on the strength of an attack and bowling here was as limp as Test cricket comes on an opening day.
In turn, as soon as former captain Alastair Cook and his successor Joe Root went to work they were destined for three figures. The former went to 150 in the minutes before stumps for the 10th time in his career, while the latter now has 13 Test tons before his 27th birthday.
It needs underscoring how bad the West Indies were in the hope that something - anything - can change the trajectory of the last two decades. Analytics company CricViz calculated their seamers landed deliveries on what they define as a good line and length just 31 per cent of the time.
Unsurprising, then, that they conceded a whopping 53 boundaries. To cap off the mess, Jason Holder - despite not picking a frontline spinner - elected to delay taking the second new ball at a time of night captains often declare so they can get a fresh pink pill in the hands of the attack leader. From the sidelines, their coach, Stuart Law, literally had his head in his hands.
Cook's 31st career hundred was his first this year, neat form located by the 32-year-old in time for a fourth Ashes away journey. It was a quintessential hand from the veteran, only five of the 153 runs he tallied going down the ground, cutting and pulling and tucking the way he has for a dozen summers for his country. The pink Dukes ball played its part, bouncing consistently enough to enable Cook's vertical-bat-first approach from the safety of his back foot.
Root, on the other hand, galloped to the century landmark in lavish style through a full range of drives, his second 50 coming in 56 balls in a rapid second session before artificial light took over.
Already a man for all seasons and forms, he is one for all ball colours now as well. The stoush he has coming with Steve Smith, with bat as well as leadership baton, is more alluring by the week.
One sore point for England is they are no closer to landing on those who will scatter around Root and Cook in England's top five by the time they land. Debutant opener Mark Stoneman's day was over inside three overs, defeated by a Kemar Roach beauty.
As the 12th man to walk out alongside Cook since Andrew Strauss retired in 2012, it is reminiscent to the post-Shane Warne revolving door of Australians spinners. It is still anyone's guess who will be there when the music stops in Brisbane.
Meanwhile, Tom Westley at No.3 has less latitude than most for the flashy way in which he plays, failing early as well. He needs to capitalise over the next three Tests to guarantee his boarding pass.
None of this will be lost upon the Australians tuning in from afar. Sure, they know from their own experience of beating up on the West Indies in the lead up to an Ashes in 2015 how little the success means. But further evidence of a soft England underbelly? That's tasty, especially in Adelaide where they retain the first-mover advantage in the floodlight theatre.
Yes, it may be three months, 10,000 miles and a couple of subcontinent tours away. But seeing the pink ball flying around is the best reminder yet that the Ashes are coming. Buckle up.
