THEY WILL talk about the day the giant came to little Alderley Edge for years to come.

Shane Warne was the big attraction for the 1,213 crowd, who were watching the first first class county play at the picturesque club ground.

But it was the big hitting of 6ft 7in Chris Tremlett that set the pulses racing, and ultimately put this match out of Cheshire's reach.

When he arrived at the crease in the 48th over Hampshire had recovered from a perilous 65-5 to make 226-8.

That was more than enough to see off the minor county, who had had hopes of pulling off a memorable giant killing when Michael Clarke became the fifth Hampshire wicket to fall in the 15th over.

At that stage the first class county were facing their biggest worry in the C & G against part-time opposition since they were 0-3 against Dorset at Bournemouth six years ago.

But a sixth-wicket stand of 96 in 25 overs between Will Kendall and Dimitri Mascarenhas rescued Hampshire.

And Tremlett provided the coup de grace with an unbeaten 38 from just 10 balls - his highest-ever score in limited-overs cricket.

His cameo included three fours and FOUR sixes, three of which came from the last four balls of the Hampshire innings, which were bowled by Tremlett's former Northlands Road teammate Simon Renshaw.

Tremlett had already taken 16 off the penultimate over bowled by former Notts man Dave Pennett and included the big man's first maximum hit, which was driven over long on and onto the adjacent tennis courts.

And after a single from Shaun Udal, who was dropped twice on his way to an unbeaten 11-ball 17, from the first ball of the final over, Tremlett smashed 26 runs from the last five!

Two of his three sixes were driven back over Renshaw's head, while the other was pulled over mid-wicket following a full toss.

It helped Hampshire to a colossal 273-8.

But when a good start from James Hamblin and Derek Kenway was undone with the felling of five wickets in eight overs, Warne's men looked as though they might become the first class county to lose to minor county opposition since Hereforshire beat Middlesex three years ago.

Warne had lost his fourth toss in five as Hampshire captain and the Cheshire seamers revelled in the damp conditions on a green top.

The procession began when Hamblin was caught at long leg in the seventh over after helping to put on 43 for the first wicket.

Then Kenway was caught at deep third man after slashing at Renshaw, who also beat Warne with an off-cutter that the skipper played on.

Lawrie Prittipaul drove and missed a straight one to depart for a single and become the second of man of the match Jason Whittaker's four victims.

And it looked as though Hampshire would struggle to last the 50 overs when school teacher Whittaker had Clarke caught at the wicket in the 15th over.

That brought Mascarenhas to the crease but the run rate ground to a virtual halt for a few overs as he and Kendall took stock.

Their partnership highlighted the gulf between the sides, but Cheshire will still be wondering what might have been.

What if Guyanan paceman Barrington Browne had not limped off with a hamstring injury midway through his third over?

What if Australian Clinton Perren's throw from point had hit the stumps and left Kendall stranded following a bad call from Mascarenhas on 83 for 5?

And what if Cheshire gloveman Steve Ogilby had not dropped Mascarenhas at the wicket after he had nicked Perren, having scored just 17 and with the score 132 for 5 in the 34th?

Those questions must have been going through the minds of the Cheshire players during lunch, which was taken early because of rain, shortly after the in-form Kendall had been caught by Renshaw on the deep mid wicket boundary having scored 53 from 75 balls.

Hampshire lunched on 161-6 from 40 overs but nearly matched that with 112 from the last ten when play resumed.

Mascarenhas was caught on the cover boundary by Whittaker, who was involved in seven of the eight Hampshire wickets to fall, immediately after reaching his half century and three overs after Nic Pothas had been caught at the wicket.

Then Udal and Tremlett ensured it was game over.

To his credit, Warne gave the locals some entertainment, using all ten of his bowlers on a wicket best suited to Prittipaul's gentle seamers - but not James Hamblin, hit for six off his sole delivery!

The biggest cheer came when Irish wicketkeeper Ogilby raised his bat in triumph after hitting Warne for six over long on and out of the ground, as a growing crowd watched over the hedge from the adjacent country lane.

Then Warne bellowed: 'Why don't you do us all a favour and attack your beer?' during some banter with the drinkers' marquee.

It wasn't long before Cheshire were all out for 184, leaving Hampshire to celebrate what in the end was a comprehensive 89-run victory.