Hobart/Colombo (PTI): Even as the rumblings over the racism row involving Harbhajan Singh have hardly died dowm, a fresh controversy broke out in Australia with unruly fans attacking Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan with egg.

Showing no let up in their hostility towards Muralitharan, a group of fans threw an egg on the Sri Lankan spin wizard's face in Hobart on Friday night.

"An egg was thrown at Muralitharan and it struck him", a top Sri Lankan Cricket (SLC) official told PTI in Colombo adding, the authorities were looking into the incident.

The incident, which marks a new low in Aussie fans turbulent relations with Muralitharan, has prompted cricket authorities in Sri Lanka to ask for heightened security for the players.

"We have drawn the attention of Cricket Australia to this incident yesterday. They have already given the team security. But we have asked the authorities whether this can be beefed up further," SLC secretary K Mathivanan said.

The 'Island Newspaper' reported that the Sri Lankan cricketers were jeered and attacked by some local residents in Hobart when they were returning to their hotel after dinner on Friday night.

"The Sri Lankan team management had then taken action to safely guide the players back to their hotel and the police arrived at the scene," the Newspaper said.