Sri Lankan Board denies receiving report on Murali

The Sri Lankan board has denied receiving an official report on Muttiah Muralitharan's bowling action, and officials said that the results of the analysis would not be published until the receipt of an official report from Professor Bruce Elliott.

The news followed suggestions that the results had been verbally communicated to board officials over the weekend and that an announcement was imminent. "We have not yet received an official report," said Duleep Mendis, Sri Lanka Cricket's chief executive. "We cannot make public announcements on the basis of informal or private conversations prior to the submission of an official report."

Contrary to earlier media reports, according to Mendis, a full analysis of Muralitharan's controversial doosra had not yet been completed, and Murali, who is expected back in Colombo by Friday, was continuing the assessments with Elliott in Perth.

Once an official report has been received, a bowling review group, convened by the board, will discuss the conclusions. If necessary, remedial action will be undertaken before the submission of a full report to the ICC within the stipulated six-week period.

The board has indicated that a public announcement may be delayed until the ICC has received this report and has given the go-ahead for the details to be released.