Colombo: The Sri Lankan cricket board said on Wednesday it has banned off-spinner Muttiah Muralidharan from making statements on the bowling actions of other players.

The decision comes after Muralidharan questioned the legality of the bowling actions of leading Australian bowlers Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee in media interviews.

?Since Murali is a contract player of Sri Lanka Cricket, we have told him that he is not allowed to make statement without our approval,? a spokesman for the Board said.

?From now on he will not make any statement,? he said.

?Sri Lanka Cricket was perturbed by statements attributed to Mr Muralidharan in the recent past,? a media statement read.

?Mr Muralidharan is a contracted player and making statements to the media without having obtained the requisite permission is a violation of the said contract,? it added.

?Sri Lanka Cricket has called for his explanation in this regard.?

Muralidharan, who has been sent a letter by the board, has said his comments were misrepresented. ?I never called anyone a chucker,? Muralidharan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

?All I said is that if you are accusing me of going over the level of tolerance, you have to look at your own bowlers too,? he said.

Muralidharan travels to Australia next week to meet Melbourne-based surgeon David Young who will assess his recovery from shoulder surgery in August.

He hopes to return to top-class cricket in January when Sri Lanka will be touring New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Australia and New Zealand captains Ricky Ponting and Stephen Fleming say they have been left in the dark over the proposed new rule changes to throwing in cricket.

Both skippers welcome the International Cricket Council (ICC)?s plan to tackle the murky issue of throwing, or chucking, but say they still do not fully understand the recommended changes which could come into effect next year.

?It?s a little big vague,? New Zealand captain Fleming told a news conference in Brisbane on Wednesday.

?I would like some more information to understand what exactly they have in store and what exactly they are looking for.? Ponting said he had been briefed on the rule change, which will allow bowlers to straighten their arms by up to 15 degree, after meeting with Australia?s ICC sub-committee member Tim May, but was still unsure.

?We still need to know a bit more about it. We need to see it in action and see it in place,? he said.

Fleming, regarded as having one of the most astute cricketing brains in the sport, said he was reluctant to pass judgment on the proposals until he had seem them in operation but agreed it was a positive sign the ICC were looking into the issue.

?One thing I?m very happy about is that there is some movement. For too long it was the ugly sister that wasn?t being talked about,? he said.

?Now it?s out in the open, there?s some positive steps being put in place but whether they?re the right ones we?ll wait for the information.?

Throwing has long been one of the most contentious issues in cricket and the ICC?s recent announcement that it planned to change the laws sparked an ugly row between some of the world?s top bowlers.

Fleming urged the ICC to clarify the new rules as soon as possible to avoid any more speculation and scrutiny about players.

?It shouldn?t be secretive,? Fleming said. ?What we have to be careful of is the sort of knee-jerk reactions when a statement comes out and emotive type of reporting that starts throwing players names out without basis.?