SYDNEY, June 16: Australian Prime Minister John Howard denied on Wednesday that his description of Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan as a "chucker" led to the champion wicket-taker's decision to snub the Test tour of his country.

The 32-year-old off-spinner announced on Tuesday that he would not join the tour starting later this month for "personal reasons". But many linked Muralitharan's decision to criticism in Australia of his bowling action, notably from Howard - an avowed "cricket tragic" - who called the Sri Lankan a chucker after his 'doosra' delivery was declared illegal earlier this year.

Asked in a radio interview on Wednesday if his comments influenced Muralitharan's decision, Howard replied: "I don't believe so." "I made it very clear at the time that he was very welcome to ... come," he said.

"He's very welcome to come and he claims that there are personal reasons why he doesn't want to come and I tend to believe that and that's the information I have," Howard said.

Muralitharan, who has a world record 527 Test wickets to his credit, said in a statement earlier that he had been defamed, pilloried and severely criticised by the world's cricket media.

"Even the prime minister of Australia has called me a chucker and then in the next sentence says I will be welcome to tour his country," he said. Howard defended his criticism of Muralitharan.

"I relied very much on the findings of that examination that was carried out in Perth and the conclusion of that had something to say about the doosra," he said. Meanwhile, Shane Warne has described Muralitharan as "thin-skinned" for withdrawing from the forthcoming tour.

"I think it is the wrong decision not to tour," Warne was quoted as saying by Melbourne's Herald Sun on Wednesday. "He should keep doing what he loves doing and that's playing cricket. He has a lot of critics, particularly in Australia, but you can't afford to let the critics get to you."

The Australian leg spinner said Muralitharan's decision was "thin-skinned" and added that he hoped the Sri Lankan had not been influenced by his controversial former captain, Arjuna Ranatunga, the newspaper said.

"Hopefully, he has not been listening too much to Arjuna, but he's always stirring the pot," said Warne. "I was looking forward to going head to head with Murali again. I'm really disappointed that he has decided not to come to Australia.

"It's disappointing for everyone, the players and the public. I suppose he will not tour a lot of countries now. "Our players batted very well against him in Sri Lanka (winning the series 3-0 in March), and it would have been a great challenge for him to see how he went in Australia." Warne trails Muralitharan's world record of 527 wickets by only 10 victims. -Agencies