Galle, August 30 : Sri Lankan Cricket Board has warned players that they must notify the team medical staff if they are consulting `faith healers'. The warning comes after opening batsman Upul Tharanga was served a drugs ban.

The team''s new physiotherapist, Steve Mount, said players involved in the Test series against Australia had been made aware of the potential pitfalls of bypassing more orthodox treatment for injuries.

Tharanga was suspended for three months leading up to the one-day series against Australia, after testing positive to a banned substance during the World Cup. He pleaded guilty, but claimed he had ingested the steroid in a herbal remedy given to him by a faith healer.

''"If they''re going to see someone else, they really should run it by me,'''' Mount told the Herald. ''''I think traditionally they''ve seen a few of those doctors around, speaking to the last physio who was here," Mount was quoted, as saying.

"But with Upul Tharanga and the drug controversy that happened with him, I don''t think it''s going to be quite as popular to go off to those guys now," he added.

Mount, who joined the team last month, said there is no outright ban on the players to consult faith healers, but it is advised that he is consulted first.

"As long as they are open with me and I know exactly what they are doing, it's OK. Anything they take they should be run by me, and then I can check it," he said. (ANI)