Chiefs warn Murali

Sri Lankan cricket chiefs have banned Muttiah Muralitharan from making statements on the bowling actions of other players.

The decision follows the off-spinner's public questioning of the legality of the bowling actions of leading Australian Test pacemen Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee.

A team of experts and former Test players were commissioned by the International Cricket Council to examine Muralitharan's bowling action and subsequently recommended it be accepted, saying it was common among many cricketers.

However, after the report became public, Muralitharan has made comments on other players whom he believes have illegal bowling styles.

"Since Murali is a contract player of Sri Lanka Cricket, we have told him that he is not allowed to make statements without our approval," Sri Lanka Board spokesman Ray Illangakoon said today. "From now on he will not make any statement."

Muralitharan was not available for comment. Sidelined since August following a shoulder operation, he is planning a comeback on next month's tour of New Zealand.

Before the shoulder injury, he claimed the Test record with 532 dismissals. In his absence, Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has raised the mark to 541.