FOR the second successive match Dale Benkenstein broke a Durham record he already held as he and Ben Stokes took the total to 403 for three at lunch against Lancashire, a lead of 90.

Having held the record for the fourth-wicket stand with Paul Collingwood since they put on 250 at Derby in 2005, Benkenstein shared a stand of 273 with Will Smith at Edgbaston last week. And after putting on 309 with Stokes, he is only six short of the Durham record for any wicket in the County Championship.

Benkenstein was also involved in that on the famous occasion when he and Ottis Gibson put on 315 for the seventh wicket at Headingley in 2006 to save Durham from relegation, The overall record is 334 by Stewart Hutton and Mike Roseberry against Oxford University in 1996.

Benkenstein was the more fluent this morning, adding 66 runs to reach 133 while Stokes struggled to regain the superb form which took him to his century off yesterday’s last ball.

He was beaten several times when Lancashire took the new ball, but his timing returned in the closing overs and he reached 150 in the last over before the break.

His third 50 took 90 balls, compared with 55 for his second.

It was the fifth time in eight games that Durham had gained maximum batting points, and by restricting Lancashire to one bowling point they are guaranteed to take over at the top, even if the visitors hold out for a draw.

The only chance came with Stokes on 108, when he edged Gary Keedy and the ball struck Paul Horton without the slip fielder getting a hand on the ball.

Benkenstein drove Tom Smith wide of mid-on for four and glanced the next ball to the fine leg boundary to give Durham the lead.

Then when Smith took the new ball Benkenstein pulled him for four then a misfield by Mark Chilton at cover allowed him to take two runs to reach his fourth century of the season off 169 balls.

It was Durham’s 14th championship century of the season, which is already four more than their total last year.