Essex club captain Mark Pettini is taking a break from cricket after relinquishing the Twenty20 captaincy.

Pettini has been short of form for most of the season and head coach Paul Grayson revealed to the Gazette that Pettini has been struggling mentally with his own game.

The 26-year-old handed over the captaincy to James Foster after Friday night’s heavy defeat to Glamorgan in the Friends Provident t20.

He will not be considered for selection for at least the next ten days and, despite remaining as club captain, Grayson said the situation will be reviewed after the Twenty20 campaign.

Grayson said: “Mark has been out of form with the bat and has been struggling mentally with his own game.

“We sat down and had a chat on Saturday and decided he should have a break from cricket.

“We talked about it together as we always do.

“We have been a partnership for three years and he has done a good job during that time – his record as captain is up there in the top two or three in the country in terms of achievements.

“It was a difficult decision but was in his best interests and we want him to come back refreshed.

“Mentally he has lost some confidence and will be back in contention in ten days time.”

Pettini took over from Ronnie Irani as captain in 2007 and has since guided them to promotion in LV= County Championship, the Natwest Pro40 and lifted the Friends Provident Trophy. However, Essex have started their t20 campaign badly, losing three of their first four matches and Pettini mustered only four runs in three innings.

He was absent for Sunday’s defeat to Middlesex at Lord’s, with John Maunders preferred at the top of the order.

Pettini’s batting has come under scrutiny ever since he took over the captaincy.

Regular runs have not been forthcoming, although he did average just under 40 in the Championship last season.

This season he has scored 371 runs in four-day cricket at an average of 31.58, but is yet to score a century.

He dropped down the batting order from number five to seven in recent weeks, although he continued to open in one-day cricket.

Grayson meanwhile has no worries about Foster taking charge, despite being a focal point of the batting line-up and wicketkeeper.

He said: “I have no doubts about him.

“He is vice-captain and has always done a good job when he has stepped in in the past.”

Essex’s next FP t20 game is against Somerset at Taunton tomorrow.