RECORD-BREAKING Jonny Bairstow scored a sensational career best 174 as Yorkshire cruised to a target of 336 to beat Durham by six wickets at Headingley.

The Vikings maintained their 100 percent start to this season’s Royal London one-day Cup with a third North Group win as they reeled in their record chase in List A cricket with 2.2 overs to spare. 

Stephen Cook (106) and Michael Richardson (100 not out) both hit hundreds as Durham posted 335 for five before Joe Root added 55 for Yorkshire.

Ultimately, the Jets will be frustrated at not taking full advantage of an excellent start to their innings at 248 for one in the 40th over after they had elected to bat.

They lost four for 32 to slip to 280 for five and should have posted more in good batting conditions.

Bairstow then showed them the way with a remarkable batting display before he and Root link up with England for two ODIs against Ireland this weekend.

Bairstow posted the highest ever List A score at Headingley on the way to his county’s record chase, with the pair sharing 189 for the second wicket inside 26 overs.

Yorkshire are already on course for a home semi-final next month after earlier wins against Nottinghamshire and Lancashire.

Durham, who started the competition with minus two points, have now won one, lost one and had the other washed out. 

Durham built their innings around measured Cook, who later dropped Bairstow on 71 at long-off.

He shared stands of 124 for the first two wickets with Keaton Jennings (72) and Richardson, and he went on to post 106 off 114 balls, his second score above 50 in two matches.

Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Waite took an impressive two for 53 from his 10 overs having come into the side in place of David Willey.

Steve Patterson also replaced Liam Plunkett from Monday’s win over Lancashire here.

Waite took one of four wickets to fall as the Jets lost momentum.

He had earlier got Jennings superbly caught at deep mid-wicket by Peter Handscomb as the left-handed Durham skipper aimed for a third six in his 64-ball knock.

Waite then had Graham Clark caught at mid-wicket.

Jennings hit two of six sixes in the Durham innings, with Cameron Steel doing likewise in a late 22 not out off 14 balls as 36 came off the last three. 

Unbeaten Richardson reached 100 off his 87th delivery, the last of the Durham innings.

Yorkshire lost Adam Lyth in the ninth over of their chase, but they had already moved to 60 when he pulled Chris Rushworth to deep square-leg.

Bairstow was in dominant mood and made Durham pay for Cook dropping him off the spin of George Harding.

He hit seven leg-side sixes and 16 fours on the way to 50 off 32 balls, 100 off 70 and 150 off 97 as he toyed with the visiting bowling attack.

Yorkshire reached the 30-over mark at 218 for one before Root reached his second fifty in three matches off 60 balls with three fours.

The pair fell in successive James Weighell overs - Bairstow caught behind and Root chopped on - as the score fell to 254 for three in the 36th over.

But Durham still did not look like recovering. 

Gary Ballance, who stood on his stumps against Weighell and fell for 29, and Handscomb (47 not out) shared 71 for the fourth wicket.