Who's hot in English cricket?

BBC Sport looks at the form of England's Test stars and hopefuls after the second week of competitive county action.

GOOD WEEK

Ian Bell (Warwickshire)

Bell is doing nothing wrong in his quest for a middle-order Test place this summer with another solid batting performance.

He scored a patient 63 off 181 balls in his side's draw with Kent in the Championship and bowled tightly with his medium-pacers.

Andrew Flintoff (Lancashire)

After surgery on his left ankle, Flintoff made his seasonal debut against Middlesex in the Totesport League.

Story: Flintoff's return

It did not quite go to script, with Flintoff out for 17 off 23 deliveries. He smacked three fours in his cameo but could not prevent a Lancashire defeat.

However, the big man is back playing cricket again and that is enough for England fans to celebrate.

Ashley Giles (Warwickshire)

His rich vein of form continues, with an eight-wicket haul in the Championship draw with Kent at Canterbury.

The left-arm spinner took 5-86 in the first innings and and added 3-71 in the second innings.

Steve Harmison (Durham)

If Harmison needed a confidence booster then a hat-trick in the match against Worcestershire certainly did the job.

He dismissed James Pipe, Matt Mason and David Wigley on the way to figures of 5-61, his first Championship five-for in two years.

Harmison took eight wickets in total in the Championship match as Durham beat Worcestershire within two days to keep up their 100% record.

Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire)

Although not running through the opposition, Hoggard is back to his dependable best and being a true stingy Yorkshireman when it comes to giving runs away.

Story: Pietersen enlivens draw

In the win over Somerset he took three wickets and bowled 13 maidens in two innings and in the Sunday match he recorded 2-29 off his nine overs, including the wicket of Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya for nine.

Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire)

There was much anticipation and media attention surrounding Pietersen's Championship debut but the poor lad failed to live up to expectation and was out for a duck.

He redeemed himself in the second innings, however, with a blistering 61 off 51 balls, including five fours and three sixes, in an exciting draw with Sussex to show his batting prowess.

BAD WEEK

Rob Key (Kent)

With Mark Butcher struggling for fitness, now would be the perfect time for Key to impress the selectors but, instead of rising to the challenge, he is shrinking into his shell.

In the drawn county match with Warwickshire he made only four in the first innings but at least got into double figures with 21 in the second.

That minor recovery was short-lived, however, as he chose to leave a delivery to be bowled for one by Leicestershire Foxes' Charlie Dagnall in the Totesport match.

Geraint Jones (Kent)

He has been keeping the likes of Chris Read away from England's wicket-keeping duties by the fact he is a better batsman but Jones is struggling for runs so far.

Story: Kent win by rain rules

He scored 32 and three in the drawn county match with Warwickshire and was promoted to opener in the Totesport match but fell lbw for 14.

Andrew Strauss (Middlesex)

Strauss could do no wrong for England last summer but he has yet to get into his stride this season.

In his first outing for Middlesex, Strauss twice failed with the bat in the drawn county match against Nottinghamshire.

He managed four in the first innings before being clean bowled by Ryan Sidebottom, and just two in the second as he fell to occasional off-spinner David Hussey.

ON THE SIDELINES

James Anderson (Lancashire)

Anderson is not making headlines with his bowling performances but he is becoming more economical.

There was no county match for Lancashire this week but he did feature in the loss to Middlesex in the Totesport where he took 1-32 in his nine overs.

Mark Butcher (Surrey)

Another frustrating week for the Surrey captain as his return from injury is delayed.

Story: Butcher's return delayed

Club physio Greg Mullings told BBC Sport: "He has started hitting soft balls but is still getting some pain."

Butcher does not believe he will be fit enough to take part in the first Test against Bangladesh on 26 May.

Simon Jones (Glamorgan)

After his great week last week, Jones has been left kicking his heels this week with no action to speak of.

Glamorgan's floodlit Totesport match against Essex on Friday was washed out.

Marcus Trescothick (Somerset)

He was all set to lead his county in the match against Durham but Mrs Trescothick had other ideas.

She went into labour, so Trescothick dashed to be by her side in time for her to give birth to their daughter Ellie and gave the match a miss.

Graham Thorpe (Surrey)

The elder statesman of the England team, Surrey's sorry start to the season is not helping Thorpe in his quest to convince the selectors he can still do the business.

He did not feature in their loss against Bradford/Leeds University but was rolled out for the Sunday match against Durham.

In that game, he hit 33 off 58 balls including three fours, but as Surrey were out for 86 and were defeated by 138 runs it was not a bad effort by him.

Michael Vaughan (Yorkshire)

He is still enjoying an extended break afforded to him by the England management and will not play competitively until 3 May, when Yorkshire face Ireland in the C&G Trophy.