Panesar ban for 'threatening' behaviour

Monty Panesar's troubled season has ended with another disciplinary issue after he was handed a suspended County Championship ban, following behaviour that was "potentially threatening and intimidating towards a member of the opposition", less than a month before he flies to Australia in the Ashes tour

There were two incidents that occurred during Essex's match against Worcestershire at Chelmsford in early September that breached the ECB directive 3.2, in that "he did not conduct himself fairly and properly on the field". During the match Panesar was involved in an exchange with Ross Whiteley, which led to umpire Peter Willey intervening, although the ECB statement does not specify the actual incidents involved.

During the second innings of the match, where he took 2 for 74, it was reported that Panesar became increasingly frustrated with his performance and he was removed from the attack shortly after Willey spoke to him and Essex captain James Foster.

Panesar has accepted the penalty of a one-match suspension, which itself will be suspended until the end of 2014 season and comes into force should he breach any ECB rule, regulation code or directive. The statement said that Panesar had apologised for his behaviour.

This latest controversy comes less than a week after Panesar was named in England's Ashes squad having given the selectors and management assurances that he had overcome the personal issues that led to him leaving Sussex. He was fined for being 'drunk and disorderly' during a night out in Brighton where he urinated on bouncers.

Panesar had been given professional help by the ECB to aid his rehabilitation and immediately joined Essex on loan for the remainder of the season, where he did enough to earn an England call.

When naming the squad, national selector Geoff Miller said the onus was now on Panesar. "He's very prepared to let his bowling do the talking for him, so I'm prepared to accept that. He's an experienced international player, and it's up to him to actually produce the goods for us."

"Monty had his problems, which we've worked hard to rectify in the last six weeks - and he has too,'' he said. "There's a very strong management in that side to help all aspects of it. He's appreciated he's made errors and he's very sure that those errors are behind him now."

There has yet to be confirmation as to where Panesar will play his cricket next season. He took 14 wickets at 36.00 in six matches for Essex, having also been linked with a return to Northamptonshire, the county where he began his career.