A defiant innings of 123 by Nick Knight led Warwick-shire's resistance on the first day of their Championship match against Sussex.
The 40th first-class century of Knight's career - and 29th for Warwickshire - was certainly not his most fluent. Yet in terms of value it was priceless.
Coming off a miserable performance at Scarborough, Warwickshire desperately needed to convince their supporters - and even themselves - that they really were up to the challenge.
They certainly did not have events all their own way, yet they at least showed the fight and character that has been so absent in recent weeks. On a green pitch and against a team that is top of the table, they fought every ball of every over. No supporter will ever ask for more.
There must have been some temptation for Heath Streak to bowl upon winning the toss. Yet in testing conditions Ian Westwood battled hard. He still has a tendency for the occasional flash outside off stump but he generally played within his limitations and saw the shine off the new ball.
The first three wickets all owed more to fine bowling and a tricky pitch than poor batting. Mark Wagh edged a horrid ball that reared, Jonathan Trott nicked a beauty that bounced and left him while Westwood touched one angled across him.
With Alex Loudon prodding at one of the few decent balls the disappointing Mushtaq Ahmed bowled, Warwickshire were 89 for four and apparently heading for another drubbing.
Yet Knight and Michael Powell battled desperately hard to stop the bleeding. The veterans of happier years at Edgbaston showed the discipline so missing from some of their colleagues this season.
By Knight's lofty standards this has been a miserable year. He went 14 innings in all competitions without a half-century and recently abandoned his opening position for a spot in the middle order.
Yet he is a fighter to his core. As his innings progressed he unveiled more of the sweet strokes that became his trademark and it was some surprise when he over-balanced and was adjudged leg-before minutes before stumps. It will be of little consolation that he had broken the Warwickshire record for career runs against Sussex.
Powell lent steadfast support. He would not have played had Dougie Brown not withdrawn with a side strain but justified his selection with a dogged display. It was his highest score in eight Championship innings this year.
His departure, well caught at long leg as he failed to keep down a hook, could have hastened a collapse. Yet Tim Ambrose produced the most fluent batting of the day against his old club. Latching on to anything short, he cut and pulled his way to an attractive 50 and resumes this morning with power to add.
However torrid a time Warwickshire endured out on the pitch, it was as nothing compared to the flack the management experienced in the 'forum' after stumps.
Heckled throughout, Colin Povey, Mark Greatbatch and Heath Streak were left in no doubt as to the anger of the team's supporters. The event was reduced to a somewhat farcical state by the inability of the club to provide adequate amplification for the speakers, yet the mood was clear: Warwickshire are under-performing in every area. And it just won't do.
Perhaps the strongest criticism came from the club's own chief executive, however.
