DAVID BEDINGHAM was happy to afford Ben Stokes the limelight after the pair combined to spearhead Durham’s two-day win over Somerset in the Vitality County Championship.

Durham claimed victory by an innings and six runs at Chester-le-Street as they bowled out Somerset for 171 in their first innings and just 88 second time around.

Bedingham hit 101 as Durham scored 265 in their only innings, his fourth successive century in the County Championship.

However, his batting heroics were overshadowed by Stokes’ efforts with the ball, with the England Test captain posting match figures of 8-77 as he took four wickets in each innings.

“I think I’d almost hate to be captain as after six overs, Scott (Borthwick) was wanting to take him off, but Stokesy was just like, ‘No’,” said Bedingham, “I think the effort Ben gives to any team he’s played for is probably the reason why he’s a world-class player, so we’re really lucky to have him.”

Durham are also fortunate to have Bedingham, whose recent run of scores means he can justifiably claim to be the most in-form batsman in the country at the moment. Not, however, that he is particularly interested in hogging the limelight.

“It’s quite cool (to have hit four successive centuries), but the main thing after this game is that we got a win, I don’t want to make it about me,” he said. “I just try to go out there and score runs, I don’t try to over-complicate things and I think the way we all played was pretty special.

“I’ve worked hard for a long period of time, I don’t expect it to happen because you can’t guarantee runs. But to have that hard work pay off is really cool.”

Jake Ball took the prized wicket of Division One’s leading run scorer, Bedingham, early on Saturday, and had the hosts 199 for nine at one point, but lower-order runs from the impressive Ben Raine and Peter Siddle got the hosts to a total of 265, a first innings lead of 94.

Raine then quickly switched focus to his bowling as he removed Tom Abell for the second time in the match, with the opener edging behind to Ollie Robinson for two.

Siddle then got in on the action as he bowled fellow Australian Matt Renshaw for six with one that kept low to leave Somerset 12 for two. 

Tom Lammonby and Andy Umeed looked to steady the ship after lunch, but Stokes struck in the first over of his spell, removing Lammonby for the second time in the match after he feathered one behind to Robinson.

Stokes struck again in his next over to remove Umeed for 16 when he edged to Colin Ackermann at second slip.

Josh Davey, who received a promotion up the order due to Tom Banton being unwell, gave Paul Coughlin his first of the match when he edged to the safe hands of Ackermann.

England all-rounder Stokes then got his third of the afternoon when James Rew departed for seven after he edged one to the dependable Robinson. 

Stokes continued his remarkable spell when Craig Overton edged to Ackermann to depart for six, then Raine continued his good day when he got Lewis Gregory leg before for seven, leaving Somerset staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat.

Raine then claimed the final wicket as Banton was too unwell to bat, bowling Jack Leach for 13 to give Durham a second win of the season.

The victory saw Durham climb to fourth position in the Division One table, and was the perfect response to their first defeat of the season against Lancashire a week earlier.