County Championship: England Test captain Ben Stokes hits 64-ball century on Durham return

On his first Durham appearance of the summer, Ben Stokes hit 161 sixes, a County Championship record.

In 64 balls, he shared 220 with David Bedingham, who had 135.

The England Test captain brought up his century with five successive sixes, the fastest in first-class cricket by a Durham player.

At the end of the day, Durham was declared on 578-6 and Worcestershire was 169-6.

Just before the close, the set batters Ed Barnard and D&Oliveira fell, leaving Durham in complete control.

'It was good fun'

When Scott Borthwick was trapped leg before by Ben Gibbon early on the second morning, it was the perfect time for Ben Stokes to come to the crease.

The 30-year-old told the radio that it was enjoyable.

The game was set up nicely by our top five and I just felt I had to play the situation, and once we got to our last batting point, I was just trying to get as many runs as I possibly could.

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He went to his hundred with his 10th six, the last five of which came from the first five balls of an over by slow left-armer Baker.

The final ball of the over narrowly missed the ropes and went for four as 34 runs were taken off it, and he was 147 not out at lunch.

As soon as I hit it, I knew it didn't have legs. I know what it was like to be on the receiving end, so I hope he doesn't pay too much attention to it.

Stokes surpasses Symonds and Napier

It's the second time in as many games that Stokes has hit five consecutive sixes, the first being against Hampshire in 2011.

In reaching his century off 64 balls, the 30-year-old beat the previous fastest first-class ton in Durham's 30-year history, which was set by Paul Collingwood in 2005.

Durham secured maximum batting points after Ben Stokes smashed 15 sixes and eight fours in the first half hour of the second day at New Road.

He hit two more sixes in the afternoon session to pass the 16 hit in a first-class county game by Andrew Symonds for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan in 1995 and Graham Napier for Essex against Surrey in 2011.

"People bring it up, but you don't play the game for stuff like that," said Stokes, who changed his bat on a number of occasions.

The reason for that is that I received four new bats and after I realized I had a good bat, I got the next one.

When he was called up to captain England in their one-day international series against Pakistan, he was unable to finish Durham's game against Warwickshire in the County Championship, which is why he is playing again this year.

He is set to lead England for the first time since being appointed to succeed Joe Root as Test captain.

Potts shines with ball

The declaration came after Bedingham was dismissed and after he was caught off D.Oliveira.

The top of the Worcestershire order was ripped out by four of the five players, before the two of them shared a partnership of 101.

Chris Rushworth removed D&Oliveira after nine overs without taking a wickets and bad light ended play 12 overs early.

He has taken five or more in three of the four times he has taken five or more in a first-class match.