Former England captain Andrew Flintoff has criticised Michael Atherton for comments regarding Alastair Cook.

Flintoff issued a strongly-worded attack aimed at Atherton and claimed that Cook is '10 times the player' the former captain ever was.

The Ashes winning all-rounder said: "He sits there making judgments about players that are much better than he ever was.

"How can he talk about a player like Alastair Cook who is 10 times the player he ever was — he has a much bigger average and will go on and on. Atherton averaged in the 30s for England and yet he thinks he can judge others."

Flintoff was quoted as using a number of profanities directed at Atherton, who now works for Sky Sports.