THEY WILL be awarding Adie Aymes a lone star soon and calling him The Marshall.

Once again, the gritty wicket-keeper who doesn't know the meaning of the word surrender marshalled a Hampshire rearguard action that saw them to the respectability of 292-8 at the close of the first day of the Cricinfo county championship match against Nottinghamshire at the Rose Bowl.

By the close of a day which was docked 13 overs by a short storm, Aymes was unbeaten on 86, just 14 runs from his eighth championship century for Hampshire.

He had defied Notts all day and was even able to cock a defiant last snook at them as Kevin Pietersen was unable to hold a sharp second slip chance in the final over off Gary Smith.

That apart, it was typical Aymes.

A mixture of dogged defiance mixed with the odd smattering of aggression, as the nine fours sprinkled through his 121-ball stay indicated.

Since being axed from Hampshire's one-day side, Aymes has seemed determined to prove his point with the bat in the championship.

Not that he needs it, but if it was a subterfuge method of man motivation, it worked like a charm.

It was a brave decision by Robin Smith to bat on winning the toss on a track as green as an Irishman's hat on St Patrick's day.

Alan Mullally certainly fancied a bowl on it and the big question was the condition of Hampshire's confidence after being shaken, rattled and rolled by Sussex.

After an uneventful first hour, it appeared to be in good nick, Derek Kenway and Giles White negotiating the opening exchanges with nary a blink.

But once Kenway - dropped eight runs earlier - dabbed at Richard Logan, the jitters went through.

White and then Will Kendall followed before lunch, and a pattern was set of Hampshire batsmen getting their feet under the table, only to leave before they had filled their boots.

Clearly the patient had not recovered fully.

A couple of trademark beefy square cuts earmarked Robin Smith's 49, but he was undone by off-spinner Kevin Pietersen's arm ball which went straight on and gave Greg Blewett a low catch at slip.

Hampshire needed somebody to hold them together and if it wasn't Smith, who was it going to be?

Step forward Aymes.

Dimi Mascarenhas smacked his first ball through the covers for four and then settled down in an 83-run partnership with Aymes in 30 overs which slowly turned the tide Hampshire's way.

Once again, Hampshire's bottom-half proved reliable and run-hungry.

Mascarenhas made a lusty 37 against Nottinghamshire's bowling that began to lose a little heart until Richard Stemp, bowling in shades to protect his identity, bowled him.

Udal has been a trusty Tonto to Lone Ranger Aymes this season and was looking in good nick until he top-edged Logan high down to third-man where John Morris took the catch.

Chris Tremlett was with Aymes at the end and no doubt the old salt will have given the young shaver one or two words of encouragement in keeping his end up.