London, May 7 (IANS) Newly-appointed England Test captain Ben Stokes slammed a record-breaking century for Durham in opposition to Worcestershire on Day 2 of the LV=Insurance County Championship match, with the charismatic all-rounder putting 17 sixes.

Thanks to Stokes’ brutal hitting, Durham declared their innings on 580/6, with Stokes contributing 161 runs (88 balls) to the full. In reply, Worcestershire had been 169/6 at shut.

Stokes’ variety of maximums was a report for a Championship innings, beating the 16 achieved by Australia’s Andrew Symonds (1995) and England’s Graham Napier (2011) for Gloucestershire and Essex respectively.

Stokes took 34 runs off an over from Josh Baker on solution to his 161. Among those that witnessed the efficiency was legendary crickeetr and Durham Chair, Ian Botham.

With England set to start their lengthy summer season schedule with the primary Test in opposition to New Zealand on June 2 at Lord’s, Stokes damaging kind could be music to the ears of England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). England have gained simply one of many 17 Tests they’ve performed.

This was Stokes’ first knock since England’s 10-wicket loss in opposition to the West Indies within the third Test in Grenada.

Durham resumed on 339/3 and Ben Gibbon picked up his second scalp of the innings when Scott Borthwick, on 89, was lbw to a supply angled again in. Stokes initially performed himself in whereas scoring simply 12 runs from his opening 30 deliveries.

But then got here the fireworks. His first most was an enormous hit off Ed Barnard over mid-wicket and set the tone for the rest of the morning.

England U-19 spinner Baker bore the brunt of the slaughter in a single over the place he was in peril of being hit for six sixes. The first 5 deliveries cleared the ropes, as Stokes’ century got here up from 64 balls, in line with Durham Cricket.

Stokes’ innings ended when he holed out to Jack Haynes on the mid-wicket boundary off Brett D’Oliveira.

“It was good enjoyable. I believe the sport acquired arrange very properly by our top-five (batters). I simply needed to play the scenario after which, as soon as we acquired our final batting level, it was about attempting to get as many runs as we may,” said Stokes after his innings.

“There are records you don’t know (17 sixes), and people bring them up. You don’t play the game for stuff like that,” added Stokes.

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