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England spinner Monty Panesar believes he has improved as a spinner this summer, despite recent criticisms of his performance.

Panesar is now well established as the country's premier slow bowler but attracted critics during the recent series defeat by South Africa for a lack of variety.

Among those was Australia legend Shane Warne, who claimed Panesar has not played 33 Tests but the same Test 33 times.

Panesar accepts he needs to challenge batsmen more and take greater responsibility for his field settings but says he is continually working on his bowling.

The 26-year-old said: "The summer has been pretty good for me. I've enjoyed my Test cricket and I've learned a few things about myself. The way I have played my cricket, it's improving.

"I haven't heard what Shane Warne has said but from my personal point of view I do feel that adding variation to my pace, changing my angles, maybe having different tactics in terms of my field settings and making the right decisions at the right time, is an important stage of my development.

"I feel it will make me into a better bowler.

"I've been playing international cricket now for a couple of years and I guess people get more of an idea of how I bowl and how I try to get people out.

"It is something I strive every day for.

"I am determined to work on my game. It gives me a sense of positive energy knowing that I am working on certain areas and it excites me."

Another area of Panesar's game which has attracted adverse comment is his exuberant appealing.

It has been suggested Panesar's wholehearted pleading with umpires for even the most unlikely of chances has a negative effect on officials and makes them less inclined to give batsmen out.

Yet Panesar, who celebrates every wicket with much gusto, readily admits his enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of him and claims it is a difficult thing to curb.

Speaking at Walkers' latest 'Do Us A Flavour' promotion, Panesar said: "Probably when I take a wicket the enthusiasm and passion that comes out is just a genuine love for the game that I have.

"It is something that I definitely try and enjoy as much as I can. Even when I am celebrating I am probably getting over-excited, jumping, doing all sorts.

"But it is just the sheer passion I have for the game that naturally comes out when I get a wicket.

"There is just a mutual understanding with the umpires where it is just sheer excitement that comes out. We both have that understanding where it's excitement and passion coming out into the appealing.

"The umpires kind of find it amusing at times, but it's just the enthusiasm that comes out.

"I get along with all the umpires really well and have a good banter as well. I just enjoy playing international cricket so much that maybe that childhood excitement comes out."

One recent decision that went against Panesar was when South Africa captain Graeme Smith appeared to glove a catch to Tim Ambrose during his series-clinching 154 not out in the third Test at Edgbaston.

Panesar admits dealing with the disappointment of rejected appeals is difficult.

"At the time because the passion and pride I have playing for England is there, the frustration probably comes out quite a bit," the Northamptonshire spinner said.

"You want to do well, you want to take wickets and when you get a dismissal or know that he has gloved it, it's that sheer attachment to the game - you want that wicket - that sometimes gets you really frustrated as well.

"So that's probably one of the things that I've got to (look at). OK, decisions may not have gone my way but I have got to try to create it again and tell myself if I can do that again.

"That will stand me in good stead and toughen me up as well."

Panesar was on the end of a team-mate's frustration himself when he earned Ryan Sidebottom's ire for misfielding at Edgbaston.

"We are just having banter about it now and having a joke about it," Panesar said of the incident.

"It is all good fun.

"Sometimes in cricket when everyone is passionate about the game, frustration does come out.

"But in the general context it shows how badly we all want to win and it's a healthy thing to have."

Sporting Life / Eurosport