Ben Stokes insists he did not intentionally block Mitchell Starc's throw at the stumps during England's 64-run defeat against Australia at Lord's.
The row has rumbled on after the all-rounder became only the second England player to be given out for "obstructing the field" when the hosts were chasing Australia's 309 in the second ODI on Saturday.
Starc aimed a throw at the stumps, with Stokes out of his ground, and the ball struck Durham all-rounder's arm as he turned to make it back to the crease.
England skipper Eoin Morgan protested the dismissal at the time and, after the game, suggested Australia captain Steve Smith should have withdrawn his appeal.
And Stokes insists he put his hand out to protect himself from the ball.
He told ESPN Cricinfo: "A guy was standing there five feet away from me and it was just a complete reaction.
"I didn't put my hand there wilfully, it was purely out of human reaction to protect myself. But the decision was made, there's nothing I can do but it wasn't wilful whatsoever.
"It's one of those decisions where you can't look back and have any regrets because it's been made. You can't change what's happened it's just a shame it came to the uproar it has."
Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum has criticised Smith for failing to withdraw the appeal for Stokes' dismissal.
McCullum said he was in a similar position in a Test match against Sri Lanka and regretted his owns actions.
"It's probably too early in Steve Smith's captaincy career to appreciate this but one day he'll look back at the Ben Stokes dismissal at Lord's on Saturday and realise he missed a great opportunity to strike a blow for the spirit of cricket," he wrote in the Daily Mail.
"We've all done things on the field that we regret later. But it was disappointing that Smith had a chance to make a statement about the way he wants his side to play the game and chose to go the other way.
"By not withdrawing the appeal, Smith showed his immaturity. He may live to regret it. I say that from experience, not because I want to have a pop at Smith.
"There was a Test match where I ran out Muttiah Muralitharan while he was celebrating his partner Kumar Sangakkara's hundred. I'd have done that differently now."