FORMER England spinner Monty Panesar has been named as one of four players released by Essex County Cricket Club.

The 33-year-old has been shown the door by Essex, along with Greg Smith and youngsters Matt Salisbury and Saf Imtiaz with all four to leave at the end of the season.

Panesar is the most high-profile name to leave, having forged a successful England career in which he made 50 appearances for the test side.

He took his 700th first-class wicket against Surrey recently, as well as playing a key role as they narrowly missed out on promotion in 2014.

However, his career has been blighted by controversy. He was released by his last club, Sussex, after urinating on a nightclub bouncer, while he was dropped ahead of Essex's County Championship game with Glamorgan last year after a ‘timekeeping’ error.

He was declared unavailable by former coach Paul Grayson in July as he revealed he was suffering with off-field issues.

And he has now been released by the club having primarily featured for the seconds so far this term.

Smith has been with the club since 2011 since joining from Derbyshire, scoring a career best 177 at Gloucestershire in 2013. He also took two five-wicket hauls, with best figures of 5-42.

Salisbury was a regular for Essex’s second XI before he made an impressive on the first team and he signed in 2013.

But, despite taking 10 wickets in last year’s T20 competition and claiming 2-23 in only his second match away at Hampshire, injuries have slowed his development.

Saf Imtiaz was on a short-term contract after graduating from the Essex Academy.

The Club thanked the players for their contribution.