BEN Stokes was at his outstanding best this morning as he propelled Durham towards safety against Somerset.

On six overnight, the 19-year-old all-rounder reached 86 at lunch and Dale Benkenstein was happy merely to keep him company.

He moved from ten to 47 during the session and at the break Durham were 345 for three, only 28 runs adrift.

Somerset continued to regret the absence of a specialist spinner as they turned to the slow left arm of Arul Suppiah and Stokes drove him for two huge sixes in the space of three balls.

When the new ball was taken in the day’s second over Stokes drove Gemaal Hussain’s opening delivery to the cover boundary and a straight-driven four followed in the same over.

Straight drives, in fact, were the highlight of his batting, although several back-foot punches through the covers were also of the highest class.

A brief shower at 11.20 interrupted his fast start and on 40 a ball from Charl Willoughby skidded on to him, striking him amidships.

But he turned the next ball to the mid-wicket boundary and had ten fours in his 59-ball half-century.