MARK Stoneman’s first home championship century since late 2007 put Durham in command.

The left-handed opener made 109 as Durham reached tea on 220 for four leading by 280 and probably wondering whether the pitch had become too flat to permit a declaration this evening.

Paul Collingwood might have been encouraged by the final ball before the break, from which the much-improved Liam Plunkett extracted steep bounce, forcing the Durham captain to fend it skywards. It dropped safely into space and with Dale Benkenstein going well on 38 there was still power to add swift runs.

That appeared to be Ben Stokes’ intention, but after being dropped at deep mid-wicket he became Plunkett’s second victim when he edged to Jonny Bairstow.

Plunkett also persuaded Stoneman to edge to first slip, while the other two wickets fell in the same Tim Bresnan over.

Stoneman’s partnership with Keaton Jennings was worth 123 when the South African tried to cut Bresnan and edged to Bairstow to end a confidence-boosting innings of 48.

Durham’s only century opening stand last season was stretched to 158 in a match they lost in three days at Taunton, with the highest at home being 61 against the same opponents. The previous partnerships this season had been 31, three, nought, nought and nought.

Having reached 50 straight after lunch, Stoneman pulled Steve Patterson for six and his only scare came when he played and missed against the same bowler on 81 inbetween driving him for two off-side fours.

While bowling better than in the first innings, leg-spinner Adil Rashid still tended to serve up a long hop every over and Stoneman pulled him for two fours to reach 99 then cut a single to point. His century came off 141 balls with ten fours and a six.