Opener Joe Sayers believes the decision to promote Adam Lyth to the top of the Yorkshire order in place of Jacques Rudolph has paid off.

The pair shared a second successive century stand to put their side in total control against Durham at Headingley.

The Tykes blossomed on the opening day of their LV= County Championship clash with the reigning champions, closing on 304 for two from 100 overs.

Lyth led the way with 85, while Sayers added 63 in their partnership of 146 inside 39 overs. Anthony McGrath and Rudolph, batting at four, then reached stumps unbeaten on 73 and 68 respectively as they shared an unbroken third-wicket alliance of 131.

“It was an excellent day for us,” said Sayers, who faced up to a Durham attack missing Steve Harmison, Graham Onions, Mitch Claydon and Callum Thorp on a flat pitch.

“It still looks like we’ve got a good platform to go on and dominate the game.”

After Andrew Gale had won the toss and elected to bat, Sayers and Lyth raced to 124 from 33 overs at lunch.

When Lyth was finally out, caught at slip by Michael Di Venuto off the left-arm spin of Ian Blackwell, he had recorded 16 fours in his 125-ball stay at the crease.

Sayers was more measured but still looked good on the attack as he hit seven boundaries in 139 balls.

Their partnership followed on from the second-innings 155 against Kent at Canterbury on Saturday.

“I enjoyed another good stand with Lythy and I think it’s a good sign for our future at the top,” said Sayers.

“It was always going to be really important that we got a good start to the year as a pair. The gamble has paid off in terms of team selection.

“We’ve both made some decent contributions over the last couple of games but neither of us have gone on to make a big hundred.”

On the top-order switch, Sayers added: “I think the opportunity for Jacques to bat at four came from Galey and Martyn (Moxon) but I think Jacques’ opinion was also taken into account.”

The likes of Blackwell, who claimed both wickets for the visitors, Mark Davies and Dale Benkenstein managed to halt the scoring rate somewhat but McGrath and Rudolph advanced with half-centuries off 147 and 110 balls respectively.

Yorkshire’s next target will be to score 46 runs in ten overs on the second morning for a fourth batting bonus point.

Sayers said: “The key is to go as big as we can in the first innings to let Tino (Best) and the spinners go for it.”