'It was good fun', Ben Stokes reflects on a record-breaking afternoon for Durham

Ben Stokes made his first cricket appearance since being named the new England captain on Friday afternoon, and the 30-year-old put on a dazzling performance.

Featuring for Durham in the County Championship, Stokes joined the action with his side at 360-4, bu he quickly added to that tally in breathtaking fashion.

He went on to seal his century in just 64 deliveries, before ending on 161 from 88.

"It was good fun," said Stokes.

"I think the game got set up very nicely by our top five. I just had to play the situation and then, once we got our last batting point, it was about trying to get as many runs as we could.

"Franky (Durham head coach James Franklin) likes his records up in the dressing room when people achieve them, so he just read them out.

"There are records you don't know and people bring them up. You don't play the game for stuff like that."

Stokes also hit a stunning 17 sixes en route to his total, bettering the previous County Championship record of 16 in one match, held before by Andrew Symonds for Gloucestershire and Graham Napier for Essex.

The left-handed batsman also had his sights set on another record in the 20th over, when he hit five consecutive sixes. Sir Garfield Sobers is the only batter in championship history to have hit six sixes in an over, achieving the feat in 1968 for Nottinghamshire, but Stokes was unable to match his feat, only hitting a four on the final delivery.

Worcestershire's young bowler Josh Baker was punished by Stokes' ruthless display, but the England captain hopes that he can learn from the experience.

"Hopefully he can use the experience," he said. "I know Richo (Alan Richardson, Worcestershire bowling coach) quite well so I'm sure he will get around him and make sure it doesn't knock his confidence.

"It is an experience for everyone, and personally, I know what it is like, and just hope he doesn't look into it too much.