West Indies insist time is still on their side, for a reunion with their delayed team-mates and effective preparation together, before the first Test against world-beating England.
Confidence on both scores appeared undented on Sunday, even though the tourists were robbed of almost another full day of cricket at Hove and have heard no update on when they can expect visa and transit issues to be resolved for Assad Fudadin, Narsingh Deonarine or Marlon Samuels.
All three remain thousands of miles away, the two Guyanese in Jamaica awaiting visas and Samuels still to begin his journey from the Indian Premier League.
Yet after the 11 players fit and available had belatedly begun their three-day match against Sussex - the Windies were 46 for two in the 18 overs possible - a team spokesman made it clear there is no particular anxiety about the progress or otherwise being made by the late arrivals.
"We are not concerned about it," he said.
"We are hopeful that they will be here in time for the (England) Lions match."
That fixture in Northampton begins on Thursday, meaning the Windies have a maximum five days of competitive action left to prepare to face England.
A decidedly mixed weather forecast makes even that prospect a little optimistic perhaps.
But opener Adrian Barath, one of the two batsmen dismissed on a murky afternoon, appears to a be a 'blue-sky thinker'.
"I think there's sufficient time," said the diminutive 22-year-old.
"Normally we wouldn't have all this time, coming in a week before.
"That will serve us well.
"We're looking to grasp the opportunity, and make every opportunity count.
"They're very important. It's good that we're here two weeks before the first Test match."
The Windies' first taste of batting in England this summer brought mixed results.
More overnight rain prevented any cricket before 2.45pm, after yesterday's washout.
They were treated to classic early-season conditions - full cloud cover and floodlights on - in the 80 minutes possible before bad light stopped and eventually ended play.
Sussex won the toss and bravely took the fielding option, prioritising wicket-taking potential over the nuisance of a fierce chill and swampy surrounds.
They were rewarded when Barath managed to deflect a ball via the bottom of his thigh-pad - the lbw appeal appeared optimistic to a delivery angled towards leg - on to the base of the stumps.
That gave second-change seamer Kirk Wernars a breakthrough with the final delivery of his first over, up the hill.
Kirk Edwards ought then to have gone for a second-ball duck, but was dropped at second slip by Luke Wells off Chris Liddle.
Thereafter, Edwards and Kieran Powell defended and drove with assurance until the number three fell much as he might have done eight overs earlier - edging to third slip as left-arm seamer Liddle continued to test him from round the wicket.
There was time for Darren Bravo to make a single from five balls faced, before umpires Paul Pollard and George Sharp ordered a retreat which was confirmed as terminal shortly after tea.
Barath had already made his unlucky exit - but on a day which was not for the faint-hearted, he would have been delighted to put up with more discomfort in exchange for time in the middle.
"I don't mind the extreme conditions. It's nice to experience these things," he said.
"We're not surprised about these conditions. It's something we expected."
