Probe proves as fruitless as England's missing plans

MELBOURNE, Dec 28 (Reuters) The riddle of how England's plans to attack Australia's batting line-up fell into opposition hands came little closer to a solution today as an official probe failed to explain how the famed document had gone astray.

With former England captain Ian Botham among those crying foul and alleging the plans had been stolen from the team dressing room, a Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC) investigation revealed no such impropriety.

While England's bowling attack were taking a hammering from Andrew Symonds and Matthew Hayden yesterday, red-faced officials were left wondering how a piece of paper listing weaknesses in Australia's batting had been emailed to and aired by local radio.

The plans, compiled by England team analyst Mark Garaway, listed each of Australia's batting line-up and cited the various tactics to be used to try and dismiss them.

An investigation conducted by the MCC in conjunction with the International Cricket Council, England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia was launched and in the end proved as fruitless as the plans themselves as England headed for a fourth defeat in the series.

''Following the investigation, all parties agreed that there is no evidence of any breach of security in the player dressing room area in the Ponsford Stand,'' an MCC statement said.

''An England team official printed several copies of an internal document on day one of the test match from an MCC administrative office and, to the best of our knowledge, all printed copies were handed to that official.

''One of these copies was found by a patron in the Members Reserve and distributed to media outlets on day two. The MCC believe that there was no breach of security involved in the printing of these documents.

''As far as the MCC is concerned, the matter is closed and there will be no further comment.'' Reuters PDS DB1137