Hauritz ghost haunts Andrew Hilditch

Andrew Hilditch may not believe Nathan Hauritz’s record in India is “excellent” after all. It has emerged that Hilditch’s press-release ghost added the description in the rush to have the selection chairman’s comments ready for yesterday morning’s World Cup squad announcement.

Hauritz was the sole specialist spinner in the outfit, according to Hilditch, because his "one-day record in India is excellent". This was despite Hauritz, who was ignored for the Ashes, managing only four wickets in seven matches at 70.75 in the country, although his economy rate was strong.

The comments were written instead by Phillip Pope, Cricket Australia’s public affairs manager, and approved by Hilditch when he skimmed the release before a 4am flight to Sydney for the announcement. "Off the field we are not perfect," Peter Young, Cricket Australia’s public affairs general manager, told AAP. “Sometimes you get an outside edge or drop a catch." It’s been hard to keep track of the number of catches Hilditch’s panel has missed over the past year.