Harmison was dropped after the first Test defeat in New Zealand

Discarded seamers Matthew Hoggard and Steve Harmison have been released by England to play for their counties from the very start of the domestic season.

The duo, dropped after the first Test defeat by New Zealand, will hope to recapture their form before the first Test of the summer at Lord's on 15 May.

Captain Michael Vaughan will also be available to play for Yorkshire from the start of their campaign.

The season starts with MCC playing champions Sussex at Lord's on 10 April.

The first round of County Championship matches start on 16 April.

Paul Collingwood (Durham) and Kevin Pietersen (Hampshire) do not return until the beginning of May.

But Warwickshire's Ian Bell and Tim Ambrose and Middlesex's Andrew Strauss are available for their counties in April.

Alastair Cook (Essex), James Anderson (Lancashire), Monty Panesar (Northamptonshire), Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad (both Nottinghamshire) have a month off after their return to New Zealand and report for county duty a week into the domestic campaign.