Cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan is embroiled in a nasty spat after helping Australia to prepare for their Test series against Sri Lanka in his hometown Kandy.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has reportedly made a formal complaint to Cricket Australia (CA) over an altercation between Muralitharan and the Sri Lanka team manager.
It has also claimed Muralitharan conducted centre-wicket training at first Test venue Pallekele Cricket Stadium without permission.
Meanwhile, Muralitharan has had to defend himself against accusations that he has let his country down by assisting the opposition as a spin bowling consultant.
Ill feeling escalated ahead of the first Test starting on Tuesday when a rumour circulated that Muralitharan was responsible for securing a spin-friendly wicket to help Australia adapt in last week's practice match at his home ground P Sara Oval.
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Muralitharan said he confronted Sri Lankan team manager Charith Senanayake about the rumour.
"Charith has accused and told the media that I have cut the grass on the pitch to help Australia's spin bowlers to take the wickets in the three-day game. That's a lie," Muralitharan told ESPN cricinfo.
"When I met him I asked him: 'We played together and respected each other, why are you telling lies?', he told me that they have just made an inquiry."
SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said the board had lodged a complaint with CA.
"There are two problems here," Sumathipala told ESPN cricinfo.
"The first is that Charith Senanayake has made a complaint that he had been berated.
"The second is that a certain training session for the Australia players at Pallekele had been carried out without permission."
Sumathipala went on to question why Muralitharan was helping the Australians.
"Kandy is his hometown, and he's now had to coach an opposition team at Pallekele. Regardless of professionalism, we're very hurt by this," he said.
Muralitharan resented having his loyalty and "ethics" questioned.
"About two years ago, the board headed by Nishantha Ranatunga asked me to do some work with the spinners and I said yes, and I went and worked with the Sri Lankan spinners for 10 or 15 days," Muralithran said.
"Since then no Sri Lankan board has asked me to do any job. If they had asked me before the series to be a consultant, I would have said yes.
"They didn't want me, and someone else wanted me. How could I be a traitor to this country?
"Australia asked me to coach for the entire series, but I told them I can only do 10 days because I don't want to be in the opposition dressing room during the match in Sri Lanka, that's not ethical."
Recently retired Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara leapt to Muralitharan's defence.
"Murali is a great son of Sri Lanka and he doesn't have to defend himself," Sangakkara posted on Twitter, adding that he his country but was free to consult or coach anyone.
"If SLC had ever asked him to coach Sri Lanka he always will," Sangakkara said. "He has given his best to his country on the field and off. He is always available for his country all they have to do is ask."
