YORKSHIRE'S Jonny Bairstow and Tim Bresnan shared the highest seventh-wicket stand in county cricket history when they put on an unbroken 366 against Durham at Chester-le-Street yesterday.

Before Yorkshire declared on 557 for six the pair beat the 345 shared by K S Ranjitsinhji and Billy Newham for Sussex against Essex at Leyton in 1902.

Reigning champions Yorkshire, who began the match nine points behind leaders Durham with a game in hand, continued to dominate by reducing their hosts to 140-5 at the close.

On an unusually placid pitch at the Emirates Durham ICG, Durham were powerless to stem the flow of runs as they conceded the highest partnership against them in their 24th season in first-class cricket. It beat the 359 put on by Surrey's Mark Butcher and Ian Ward at the Oval in 2000.

The only two higher seventh-wicket stands in first-class cricket were recorded in India and Australia, the latter being 371 between Mitchell Marsh and Doncaster-born Sam Whiteman for Australia A against India A at Brisbane last year.

Bairstow's unbeaten 219 beat his best of 205 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2011, while Bresnan's 169 not out was 44 more than his 125 for England Lions against the Indians at Chelmsford in 2007.

Durham tried nine bowlers, including Keaton Jennings, whose first ball was cut for four to take Bairstow to 200 off 244 balls. His fourth 50 came off 45 deliveries and he hit the only six of the innings with an overarm smash over square leg off a John Hastings bouncer. Hastings, so frugal at the start of the innings, ended up conceding 122 in 31 overs.

Bairstow, who was watched by England selector James Whitaker, is now averaging 106 in the championship this season with 636 runs in eight innings since returning from his largely redundant role with England in the West Indies.

Bresnan took his championship tally for the season to 501 at an average of 83.5.

Bairstow said: “I'm not thinking about England at the moment. It's irrelevant really – I just want to do well for Yorkshire and get us in a winning position so we can retain the county championship.”

But Bresnan rallied to his friend's cause by saying: “It's always good to be knocking on the door. England want Jonny to be more consistent and he's having an unbelievable summer.

“It's nice to be in the record books but we weren't thinking about personal milestones – we were just trying to build a partnership.

“We have put the team in a great position. There's still plenty of time left for us to take 15 wickets and win the game.”

Durham coach Jon Lewis said: “Scoreboard pressure should not be a factor, but it often is. I thought we might get through to tea without losing any wickets, which would have been good.

“We lost three fairly quickly, but the way Scott Borthwick and Ryan Pringle played in the last hour was encouraging.

“The pitch looks darker than is normal here, so we thought there might be some moisture in it. It lacks pace and there are fewer indentations at this stage than usual, which is comforting.

“We have recovered before and will have to do it again.”