Nathan Michael Hauritz (; born 18 October 1981) is a former Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling. After representing Australia at Under-19 level and making his ODI debut in 2002 at the age of 20, Hauritz made his Test debut in 2004 in India, where he turned out a credible performance. Upon his return to Australia, however, his form at first class level did not live up to expectations and as a result he found himself out of the Australian side and struggling to hold a place in the Queensland side. As a result, he switched to playing State cricket for New South Wales in the 2006–07 season. Nevertheless, even after the move Hauritz's opportunities to play regularly in senior cricket were limited. On the eve of the 2nd Test against New Zealand at the Adelaide Oval in November 2008, Hauritz found himself unexpectedly called into the Australian side, four years after making his debut, as Australia searched for a spinner to replace Shane Warne. He went on to play three Tests during the 2008–09 Australian home season and was subsequently selected for Australia's tour to South Africa. Although he did not play in any of the Tests, he played in all of the One Day Internationals. Later during Australia's one-day series against Pakistan, Hauritz was Australia's leading wicket-taker. These performances were enough for the Australian selectors to include Hauritz in the squad for the 2009 Ashes series. In January 2016, Hauritz announced his retirement from competitive cricket. Early life and career Nathan Michael Hauritz was born in Wondai, Queensland on 18 October 1981. As a junior Hauritz played his cricket with the Hervey Bay Cricket Association, representing Wide Bay at the Under 12 to Under 15 levels before captaining the Under 14 Queensland Development side that toured New Zealand in 1996. Between the 1996–97 and 2000–01 seasons Hauritz represented Queensland at both Under 17 and Under 19 levels, as well as taking part in the Under 19 Australian side's tour to England in 1999 and the 1999–2000 Under 19 tour to Sri Lanka. In 2000–01 Hauritz attended the Australian Institute of Sport in Adelaide during which time he played a number of matches against academy sides from New Zealand and Sri Lanka before captaining the Australian Under 19 side on its tour to Bangladesh.