You have to accept the criticism when you have a bad patch Micahel Vaughan

Vaughan has struggled recently, and made 47 runs in five innings in the recent one-day NatWest Series.

"I've had a tough couple of weeks, but I still enjoy playing and I am still hugely proud to captain my country," Vaughan told BBC Radio Five Live.

"I feel I've practised hard this week and scored a few runs on Saturday. I feel there are runs around the corner."

Vaughan's current form dip is all the more obvious compared to his purple patch between May 2002 and July 2003, when he hit eight centuries and averaged 72.

"It's always hard for any sportsman to keep that level of performance going year in and year out," he added.

"You always have little peaks in your career, when you're going very well and you have little troughs when it doesn't go quite so well.

"I'm averaging 33 as a captain, but there is a time around the corner when those peaks will get better again."

VAUGHAN'S BATTING AVERAGES Overall: 44.8 in 46 Tests Pre-captaincy: 51.0 in 31 Tests As captain: 33.3 in 15 Tests

But he insisted he was not worried about some of the criticism fired his way after the NatWest series in which Vaughan floundered and England failed to reach the final.

"You have to accept, as captain, that people are bound to tell you where you're going wrong," he said.

"But they also give you a hell of a lot of praise when you do well.

"You have to accept the criticism when you have a bad patch but you expect the praise when you do well.

"It's very easy watching, it's pretty hard playing."

England chairman of selectors David Graveney repeated his backing for the England captain, saying calls for him to resign as one-day skipper were "hasty".

And Graveney urged people not to read too much into Vaughan's decision to drop down the batting order from opener to second-drop.

"Michael, being the person he is, will bat in the position which is best for the team," Graveney told BBC Radio Five Live.

"That's always been his attitude. He's now number four which is fine - and there may be a situation one day when he moves back to opening.

Graveney added: "He's a quality player, one of our best, and I am confident that he'll get some runs at Lord's.

"Like any sportsman, people need a few breaks, and when he gets a few starts he'll show exactly the quality player he is."