Durham suffered a day of torment on their return to Vitality County Championship Division One as Warwickshire piled up 490 for one on the opening day at Edgbaston.
Openers Rob Yates (191, 205 balls) and Alex Davies (226*, 274 balls) added 343, the second-highest championship opening stand for Warwickshire.
Durham, batting with the Kookaburra ball on a flat pitch, must have wished the rain had stayed away.
Yates took advantage with a stylish innings, including 25 fours and five sixes, while captain Davies posted an iron-willed double-century with 25 fours and three sixes. In first-class cricket, Durham has conceded only five partnerships of 300-plus, three of which were by Warwickshire.
Despite the presence of three debutants in the bowling attack - Scott Boland, Callum Parkinson, and Colin Ackermann - Durham's decision to bowl appeared strange. This latest instalment of woe saw the debutants end the day with a combined one for 220.
Meanwhile, Yates and Davies rattled up 50 runs in just 57 balls on a good batting pitch for the first game of the season at Edgbaston last week. Boland finished the Australian season strongly, taking 16 wickets in his last two games for Victoria. However, his entry into county cricket was less successful. His first ball went for four, as did four others in his first three overs. In the first 12 overs, thirteen fours were scored as Davies reached his 50 in 57 balls and Yates in 58.
During the lunch interval, Warwickshire legend Dennis Amiss spoke to club members and recalled his debut in 1960. As a 17-year-old, he did not get a bat as openers Norman Horner and Billy Ibadulla put on 377. That remains Warwickshire’s highest opening stand in first-class cricket. However, Yates and Davies had a good attempt at breaking the record.
They took turns in taking the lead. Davies reached his century first (in 102 balls), but after Yates also passed the hundred mark (in 118 balls), he picked up the pace. He hit successive sixes off Brydon Carse over the very short boundary, overtaking his partner. Just before tea, he struck Ackermann gloriously for 16 runs in three balls but then perished while trying to hit another six. Alex Lees caught the ball at long off.
Yates received a standing ovation as he left the field, and the spectators were soon back on their feet to applaud Davies' maiden double century (249 balls). Despite the favourable conditions, the captain's innings was characterised by immense discipline and concentration, and he is expected to continue his impressive performance tomorrow. Alongside Will Rhodes (60 not out, 100 balls), he scored 147 runs in the last 34 overs of the day against the melancholy Durham attack.
Warwickshire's team includes Craig Miles, who has been recalled from his loan spell at Glamorgan due to injuries to Liam Norwell (torn pectoral muscle) and Michael Booth (side strain). Hasan Ali, who arrived in Birmingham today, is set to make his debut away to Hampshire next week.