ALEX Lees was the star of a dominant opening day for Yorkshire against Durham at Headingley yesterday with a third century of 2016.

The White Rose opener underpinned a close of play score of 341-5 from 96 overs on a day which saw him pass 1,000 Specsavers County Championship runs in a season for the first time in his career.

Lees took advantage of Durham’s decision to not toss and bowl first by posting 132 from 222 balls with 16 fours and a pulled six off Paul Collingwood.

He batted particularly positively to share 163 for the second wicket with Gary Ballance and 87 for the fourth with Jake Lehmann, both of whom made fifties.

Ballance made an assured 71 and Australian overseas Lehmann a combative 58.

After an encouraging start with the early wicket of Adam Lyth, the visitors erred in length too often.

Lyth fell in the fourth over when he steered Graham Onions to gully.

After the odd worrying moment, including a swipe at Onions, Lees settled quickly on the way to a first century at Headingley since the corresponding fixture midway through 2014.

"I was trying to play positively because the ball was swinging and seaming,” he said.

“Headingley pitches for openers, the hardest task is getting through the first 30 overs.

“I have probably fiddled about with how I want to go about batting at Headingley over the past few years, and I want to be real positive here.

“The more positive I am, I get into better positions for my defensive game as well.

“My mentality was a little bit 'if it's up, it's off'.

“I didn't want to get dismissed playing a half-hearted shot. I'd have preferred to be caught out at mid-off trying to hit it for six.

"I wanted to put the pressure back on the bowlers.

“Getting inserted at Headingley is going to be tough, but we were fortunate that me and Gary were able to put the pressure back on them.”

Ironically, Lees did get out to a half-hearted shot midway through the evening as he was caught in two minds and could only chip a full toss back to off-spinner Ryan Pringle.

Lees described his dismissal as “massively frustrating”, but he was delighted to reach 1,000 runs for the campaign after a frustrating 2015 which saw him post only 795.

"I was poor last year,” he said. “I averaged 33 or 34, and I have high standards for myself.

“I wasn't happy with it, but sometimes you have to have a backward step to find out more about yourself. That little bit more experience has helped me.

"It's my first 1,000-run season, and it's very pleasing.”

Durham endured a day to forget after electing to bowl in helpful conditions.

They even had to field Collingwood as a locum wicketkeeper for 45 overs either side of lunch following a dislocated finger for Michael Richardson.

Collingwood helped Barry McCarthy dismiss Ballance caught behind before Andrew Gale was bowled around his legs by Onions for 17.

After Lees, who believes 500 would be an excellent total, departed after tea, Lehmann cut Chris Rushworth to gully facing the second new ball.

There was further good news for Yorkshire in that leaders Middlesex closed on 9-3 in reply to Notts 241 at Trent Bridge. Jake Ball took a hat-trick.