England cricketer Matt Prior hits back in war of words over Kevin Pietersen

In the latest of a series of angry Twitter messages from Morgan, he turned his attention to the England wicketkeeper.

Morgan, a friend of Pietersen's, has blasted key management figures on Twitter following the ECB's decision to axe the South Africa-born batsman.

There has been no response from England's former team director Andy Flower or captain Alastair Cook, neither of whom has a Twitter account, but Prior refused to stay silent – reacting to Morgan's account of what he believes the wicketkeeper said in a team meeting during England's Ashes whitewash in Australia.

"I don't do this PR, spinning media rubbish but I refuse to be attacked by a bloke that knows very little about what goes on in the England set-up – apart from rumour, gossip and hearsay from certain individuals (most of whom I'd take with a pinch of salt!!)," Prior tweeted. "Maybe I was recorded or 'hacked' – but if not I'd like to see where these words I apparently said have come from?"

Morgan insists Prior was critical of Flower and "stabbed (Pietersen) in the back".

"I'm not the kind of person to divulge what is said in team meetings but all I will say is that Flower, Cook and the rest of my team mates know exactly what I said & the way in which it was meant!" said Prior.

He added: "There is no story here, just an attempt to knock someone who has only ever had the team's best interests at heart and tried my best on and off the field to help the England cricket team. I can hold my head up high in that knowledge!"

Meanwhile, it has emerged that Cook played an influential role in the decision to end Pietersen's international career in a meeting that allegedly lasted just three minutes.

Cook was part of a three-man panel who met Pietersen on Monday and told him of their decision.

Although some members of the England dressing room have no issues with Pietersen, it's understood that Cook felt the 33-year-old's departure was in the best interests of the team.