NEW DELHI, June 7: An unsavoury rift broke out on Monday between two of cricket's most famous spin bowlers after Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan threatened to take India's Bishan Bedi to court over "chucking" allegations.

Muralitharan's manager Kushil Gunasekera said the record-breaking bowler was miffed over what he felt were "degrading" articles written by Bedi in newspapers and magazines about the off-spinner's controversial bowling action.

Bedi, a former Indian Test captain and classical left-arm spinner, said he stood by his opinion that Muralitharan's bowling did not conform to the laws of the game and the Sri Lankan was welcome to sue.

"The International Cricket Council (ICC) is squarely to blame for allowing Muralitharan to get away with it," said Bedi, a member of the famed Indian quartet of the 1970s who retired with 266 Test wickets.

"They have to realise that I have nothing personal against Muralitharan. I have never met him, never said hello, never shaken hands with him. "But in my book, I've never seen him bowl either." -AFP