AUSTRALIAN cricketers have been caught out by ghostly goings-on at a hotel.

The team is staying at Lumley Castle, in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, ahead of their match against England today.

It is thought Lily of Lumley, the ghost said to haunt the hotel, caused members of the team to lose sleep on Monday when she made an unexpected appearance in the middle of the night.

Belinda Dennatt, the team's media manager, said: "I woke up at 4 o'clock in the morning wondering why the blind in my room was open when I was sure I'd gone to bed with it closed.

"I felt a bit uncomfortable in my room and swapped, as did a couple of the guys.

"It has been a stressful tour and I thought I might have seen a ghost or something."

She could not comment on reports that all-rounder Shane Watson was so spooked he spent Monday night on team-mate Brett Lee's floor.

Lily was the wife of Sir Ralph Lumley, who built the 14th Century castle.

Like her husband, she was a follower of church reformer John Wycliffe, whose teachings flew in the face of established Catholic religion.

While her husband was away carrying out his duties as the Governor of Berwick, Catholic priests tried to bring Lily back into the fold, but she resisted.

The priests lured her into a bedroom, killed her and threw her body down a well.

Phil Crowe, marketing officer at Lumley, said: "The Australian cricketers certainly aren't the first to be spooked by Lily, but they're very lucky as she appears quite rarely."

Australian batsman Michael Clarke yesterday played down the ghoulish goings on.

He said: "We got told the castle was haunted when we arrived here. I think it is quite funny.

"Some of the boys have been have a laugh and playing a few pranks on some of the guys."