Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has received an official caution from his cricket board over contentious comments made in an unauthorised interview on an Australian radio show two weeks ago.

Muralitharan, who is in Melbourne having his injured right shoulder assessed, stirred up controversy when he argued on-air that the bowling actions of Australian bowlers Glen McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee could be deemed as illegal.

Muralitharan has since denied the claim that he had labelled them "chuckers", saying he was misinterpreted by the media while arguing his point that the Australian trio, like many other international bowlers, flexed their arms more then currently permitted.

The Sri Lanka cricket board was annoyed by Muralitharan's comments and wanted to take firm disciplinary action, but their lawyers recommended only a caution after concluding that current player contracts were too vague on the issue of unauthorised media interviews.

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"We got a lawyer to go through the contract before we took any action," board president Mohan de Silva told reporters after an executive committee meeting.

"The contract was very vague so we decided against taking any course of action."

Muralitharan's comments followed the decision of an International Cricket Council committee to recommend a relaxation of the game's current throwing law after biomechanical research carried out in Australia and England.

Spinners are currently given five degrees tolerance and fast bowlers ten, but the committee has proposed a single flat-rate 15 degree level for all bowlers.

The executive board must ratify the committee's decision in February.