JONNY Bairstow sent a further reminder to the England selectors of his abilities with the bat as his century helped Yorkshire dominate the first day of their County Championship match against Worcestershire.

While the national Test side were stuttering towards a heavy defeat against Australia at Lord's, Bairstow made his fifth three-figure score of the season in just his 11th innings to help lead the Tykes to 357-5 at the close.

He hit 18 fours and a six as he shared in a stand of 254 for the fourth wicket with Andrew Gale as the captain recorded a century of his own.

Bairstow is now the top run-scorer in Division One of the Championship, having made 906 runs at an average in excess of 100 – but he was quick to play down his chances of playing in the third Ashes Test match at Edgbaston.

The wicketkeeper-batsman said: "Obviously I'm really pleased with that knock. From the position we were in (at 57-3), to get the partnership with Galey was really pleasing.

"It was disappointing to get out near the end the way I did – but that's life.

"I'm just trying to bat as well as I can. You get the odd stroke of luck here and there and you've just got to take that and run with it.

"At the moment it's a case of carrying on and playing the way that I am. Hopefully that will continue for the rest of the season in all forms."

Bairstow added: "There will obviously be talk (surrounding an England place) but I think it's time for us to get behind the lads. It's only a week ago people were right behind them after the win at Cardiff.

"It's very fickle to now be saying there needs to be changes and that's not necessarily right. I think we need to get behind the boys and back them to the hilt.

"It's going to be an important few days leading into that Edgbaston match and I think if we don't do that, it will be wrong of us as a nation."

Following an hour's delay to proceedings at Scarborough due to morning rain, Yorkshire lost three wickets in the first session to leave them precariously placed.

Openers Will Rhodes (9) and Alex Lees (12) both edged Joe Leach through to Ross Whiteley at first slip, before Jack Leaning was adjudged lbw for 17 off the same bowler.

But from there, Bairstow and Gale took over as they looked to survive through to lunch before attacking the bowling in the afternoon session.

Bairstow brought up his half-century from 48 balls before hitting Leach for 14 in an over to bring up his 7,000th first-class run and take him through to his hundred from his 112th delivery.

He eventually fell late in the day to Brett D'Oliveira for 139 as he cut the leg-spinner to Tom Fell at backward point, but he left the field having left a lasting impression on the 2,450 in attendance on the north Yorkshire coast.

Gale, meanwhile, continued his love affair with North Marine Road as he finished the day unbeaten on 127 – his fifth career century at the ground.

The skipper hit 13 fours in his 234-ball knock and although he lost Adil Rashid (6) to Saeed Ajmal before the close, he and Tim Bresnan (17no) were able to see the home side through to the close.