A second-wicket partnership of 274 from centurions Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick ensured Durham dominated day one of their LV= County Championship Division One encounter against Middlesex.
The home side reached 411 for 4 at the close and will attempt to build on an already commanding total when play resumes tomorrow morning.
Their innings was anchored by Stoneman's entertaining 187 before Borthwick assumed responsibility with an equally impressive unbeaten 164. Their partnership was Durham's highest-ever for the second wicket in first-class cricket.
Middlesex won the toss and elected to field and it was a decision that captain Chris Rogers no doubt rued as his bowlers were made to toil.
Stoneman took just 47 balls to bring up a half-century and he and Keaton Jennings took the score to 82 before Toby Roland-Jones bowled the latter for 16 to end his 41-ball innings.
Borthwick replaced Jennings at the crease and he was initially happy to play second fiddle as Stoneman dispatched the ball to the ropes regularly.
The home side passed 100 in just the 20th over and Stoneman and Borthwick guided them to 140 for one at lunch before they went from strength to strength after the interval.
Two fours off Neil Dexter in the 27th over saw Stoneman enter the ninties and he went to three figures five overs later with a leg glance for four off Roland-Jones, his 17th boundary from 105 balls.
Stoneman had a reprieve when he was dropped by wicketkeeper John Simpson in the 38th over as he misjudged a Tim Murtagh delivery.
Borthwick brought up his fifty an over later, dispatching Steven Finn to the boundary. His milestone took 71 deliveries and included eight fours and a six.
Borthwick then pulled the paceman away to the ropes for four to take the score past 200 in the 41st over and seven overs later his and Stoneman's partnership passed 150 when Borthwick nudged a single off Ravi Patel.
Stoneman passed his previous best for Durham - 131 against Yorkshire earlier this season - when he took two runs off Paul Stirling in the 51st over as Durham went to 237 for one.
The 250 came just four overs later as Borthwick clipped a single off Stirling, whose spin had been causing the batsmen a few problems.
Stirling was certainly halting Durham's speedy scoring but he could not prevent Stoneman from reaching 150 in the 61st over with a single.
Three balls later and Borthwick was jumping for joy in the sunshine as a delightful on-drive to the ropes saw him reach triple figures from 132 deliveries.
ECB
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