County Championship: Sean Dickson leads Durham run haul as Ben Stokes watches on

England captain Ben Stokes watched on from the balcony while Durham piled up the runs

Durham opener Sean Dickson continued his prolific form with a third County Championship century of the season on the opening day against Worcestershire at New Road.

New England Test captain Ben Stokes watched on from the dressing room balcony as Dickson established a solid platform for his side, who reached stumps on 339-3.

The South African reached his century off 179 balls with one six and 14 fours as Durham took full advantage of a wicket offering little encouragement to the bowlers.

Stokes was due to bat at number six in his first appearance since his England role was confirmed last month, but was forced to sit with his pads on for much of the final session as Durham captain Scott Borthwick and David Bedingham also cashed in on an attack that have enjoyed better days with the ball.

Durham opted to bat first but England opener Alex Lees did not look entirely at ease, edging Joe Leach for four and then seeing an uppish cut against the same bowler fly just wide of the slip cordon.

However, Lees and fellow-opener Dickson managed to survive the new ball before Ed Barnard made the first breakthrough, when Lees could only inside-edge a delivery on to his stumps after making 27.

Dickson immediately looked in the kind of good touch befitting a player who had started the season so well and produced a series of fine cover drives.

His second-wicket stand with Keegan Petersen blossomed in the afternoon and was worth 123 in 37 overs when Ben Gibbon picked up a wicket on his first-class debut.

Petersen completed a 116-ball fifty but had not added to his score when he edged a Gibbon delivery and wicketkeeper Ben Cox held on to a good low catch.

Dickson went to tea on 99 for the second time this season after being in the same position against Leicestershire at Chester-le-Street.

He was fortunate on the resumption when his drive against Leach fell inches short of Adam Finch at extra cover, but the 30-year-old eventually went to three figures from 179 balls when he cut Barnard for his 14th four.

Barnard had his revenge in dismissing the former Kent player on 104 with a ball which bounced on him, found the edge and was snapped up by Ed Pollock at first slip.

Borthwick, unbeaten on 80, and Bedingham, with 69, then flourished in the final session after safely negotiating the second new ball.

They completed 68 and 67-ball half-centuries respectively during an unbroken stand of 117 before the close.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.