A statement released by Cricket Australia, the sport's governing body, on behalf of International Cricket Council match referee Jeff Crowe, said the matter would be discussed with Muralitharan in Hobart next week.

Muralitharan was photographed making the gesture towards a man in the crowd at Sri Lanka's match in Perth last Tuesday.

The man had painted his face black and had the words "no-ball" painted across his chest.

The Sri Lankans said earlier they were fed up with Australian crowds taunting Muralitharan but would not lodge a formal complaint about racism.

Team manager Michael Tissera said he would not follow in the footsteps of the South Africans, who have formally complained of racist slurs from Australian crowds, but they were upset by the ongoing treatment of their best bowler.