Stolen: Eng's blueprint to bowl out Oz

Bowling plans flashed during prime time radio, detailed how Hoggard & Co planned to dismiss opener Hayden

England seamer Matthew Hoggard has conveyed his team's disappointment after documents detailing their bowling plans for Australia were leaked to the media.

The tourists endured a long second day in the field in the fourth Test in Melbourne on Wednesday and their misery was compounded when their bowling plans were read out on the radio. England believe the plans must have been taken from their dressing-room at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Hoggard said: "It is disappointing. It is a personal thing, it is a private room. In international cricket we thought we had good security and it is unfortunate it has been leaked."

Former England captain Mike Gatting believes too much is being made of the leaked plans. He said: "It is nice to have plans in case you need to refresh your memory, but bowlers know what they have to do. They go through it in their minds. It should not affect them at all. All the time you are trying to correct faults. You know your weaknesses and play to your strengths," Gatting said.

Former England batsman Geoff Boycott said: "If you need a list to get Shane Warne out something is wrong with your bowlers." ABC radio commentator Jim Maxwell, who aired the plans, said he had done little wrong. "It was an attachment to an email which seemed to specify the plans for all the Australian batsmen.

It was a lovely bit of information about all the Australia batsmen and their weaknesses and what England needed to do to get them out," Maxwell said. "I don't think it was particularly mischievous to read it out, I can't see how any harm has been done. If this gets out into the open it is not earth-shattering news is it?" Things did not go according to plan on the field, as Australia racked up 372 for seven, a lead of 213, with Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds both hitting centuries.

England media manager Andrew Walpole confirmed an investigation into the source of the leak was underway, but a cheeky Hoggard was more blunt. "We've got seven plans up in the changing rooms and one of them has ended up in the opposition media's hands," Hoggard said. "We are continuing our investigations, and when we find him we are stringing him up by his ding dang doos."

The plans are prepared by England team analyst Mark Garaway as part of a video presentation on each Australian batsman which England study before the start of each Test. They are then posted in the dressing rooms.

The plan recommended that the English play on Matthew Hayden's ego by trying to stop him scoring with dot balls. Hoggard joked that England's finest detectives were on the case. "Sherlock Holmes, Inspector Morse and Miss Marple are investigating," he said.