Alastair Cook has dismissed claims that England tampered with the ball during their ICC Champions Trophy match against Sri Lanka earlier this week.

The umpires decided to change the ball midway through Sri Lanka's innings, angering the England captain as he believed that the ball was starting to reverse swing.

Former England captain Bob Willis later claimed on Sky Sports News that one England player had been using his fingernails to damage the ball.

"The ball was changed because it was out of shape. That was the umpire's reasoning," Cook said according the The Sun.

"The umpires make those decisions, so you have to accept them. Sometimes you don't think they are the right decisions but there's not much you can do about it."

An ICC spokesman added: "The umpires and match referee cannot talk about specific incidents during a tournament. But our understanding is that the ball was changed because it went out of shape."

England face New Zealand in Cardiff tomorrow.