Benkenstein and Stokes keep Durham in touch

Kent 424 v Durham 347 for 6
Scorecard

Contrasting hundreds from Durham's Dale Benkenstein and Ben Stokes ensured that the County Champions reached a respectable 347 for 6 and held their own against fellow strugglers Kent on the second day in Canterbury.

While Benkenstein played the tortoise, as his hundred took almost four hours after he became marooned in the nervous 90s for 14 overs, the England Under-19 prospect Stokes became the hare.

Stokes was the star of the U19s' winter World Cup campaign in New Zealand, and followed his 106 against Nottinghamshire six days earlier with a sumptuous career-best 122 not out to move Durham within 77 runs of Kent's first innings 424 come the mid-point of the game.

While Benkenstein nudged and nurdled, Stokes took on a weakened Kent attack with drives and lusty pulls that earned him 15 fours and a brace of sixes.

The first session had belonged to Kent who, through Makhaya Ntini, Azhar Mahmood and Amjad Khan, bowled tightly and intelligently to limit the visitors to only 67 runs in the 28 overs through to lunch.

Ntini trapped Kyle Coetzer (12) lbw with an off-cutter that hit the him just above the knee roll on his front pad as he pushed half-forward then, four overs later, Scott Borthwick (2) pushed away from his body after Ntini attacked around the wicket to steer a catch to second slip.

Kent should have had a third victim before lunch when Michael Di Venuto, on 32, edged a turning ball from Rob Ferley to slip only to see Martin van Jaarsveld drop a chance down by his left boot.

Ferley finally got his man 19 overs after the interval, but only after he had contributed 67 to a third-wicket stand of 118 in 31 overs with Benkenstein. Pushing at a looping, turning delivery he was bowled through the gate.

After a breezy 17 Ian Blackwell chopped on to his off stump when aiming a back-foot force against Amjad Khan and at 165 for 4 Kent were seemingly fighting back, but Ferley lost his length and Stokes came in to make hay.

Stokes took toll of two full tosses to lift them over the ropes at midwicket on his way to a 58-ball half-century, as he and Benkenstein posted 143 for the fifth wicket.

It took the second new ball to break the partnership as Amjad Khan persuaded Benkenstein to leave his first delivery on length and he lost his off stump and go for a stoic 114 from 179 balls.

Durham captain Phil Mustard (10) went soon after, driving at one angled across him to give Ntini figures of 3 for 58, but Stokes ploughed on until stumps to further endorse his status as a Test batsman in the making.