Alastair Cook: 'Matt Prior is a great man'

Alastair Cook has insisted that wicketkeeper Matt Prior was not a negative influence in the England dressing room.

Kevin Pietersen hit out at his former teammate in his autobiography, claiming that he was bullied by Prior, and that the 32-year-old was very critical during Test matches.

"Matty is a great man and has been a fantastic servant to English cricket," Cook told BBC Sport. "He has to be remembered as a guy who put his heart and soul on the line for England. The team was all that mattered to him. "It's sad that he could be remembered like that. He's put everything in to that England shirt and can be incredibly proud."

Cook also feels that Pietersen's book has "tarnished" England's success under Andy Flower.