Cadel nears peak fitness

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HE'S not in tip-top shape but in an ominous warning to rivals, Cadel Evans has revealed he is approaching peak form as he prepares for a crack at a maiden Tour Down Under win.

The 2011 Tour de France champion is the marquee rider in the 16th edition of the Australian Tour which is scheduled to begin on Tuesday and run through to Sunday.

Whether the first stage through the scenic Barossa Valley will be run is still up in the air with the area near the centre of a bushfire crisis.

Race director Mike Turtur will make a final decision on whether the opening stage will go ahead later today after consultation with the appropriate authorities.

The headline act of the BMC Racing team, Evans has indicated he wants a top showing in Australia ahead of a season he hopes will deliver him a spot in history as Australia's first ever Giro d'Italia champion.

"For now, it's really coming back together," he said.

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"It's frustrating, especially when you don't know what's holding you up, but I'm training well, recovering well and so far racing okay as well

"I just want to get back to my old level and if that can bring some good results ... that's important.

"I've had a fair share of setbacks.

"I'm getting there - still not there, but getting there."

Following changes to harden up the course, the opening three stages of the Tour Down under boast climbs shortly before the finish.

The fourth stage appears better suited to a sprint finish with the fifth stage the toughest of the race.

The Queen stage boasts a summit-finish on Old Willunga Hill which is expected to determine this year's winner of the Tour Down Under.

The finale is a crowd pleasing 85km street race in Adelaide.

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Cook ponders ODI captaincy

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ENGLAND'S disastrous three-month tour of Australia could bring an end to Alastair Cook's captaincy, after the opening batsman revealed he would reconsider his leadership role after losing the one-day series.

On the back of their five-nil Ashes triumph, Australia claimed the limited overs series in emphatic style on Sunday at the SCG by hammering England by seven wickets with 10 overs to spare.

The win gave Australia an unbeatable three-nil lead in the best-of-five match series as England's tour sunk further into the mire.

AUSSIES ROMP HOME TO STEAL SERIES

After the match Cook said he would review his role as England skipper after the tour is over.

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``I think I am going to have to make a decision on that stuff after we take stock after the next two games,'' Cook said.

``We are going to have to sit down and talk about a lot of things.

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``I think there will be some changes, I think English cricket needs a little bit of a change as well.

``Obviously in the last few months we haven't played the cricket we are capable of and we have to look at the reasons why but this is not really the time and place to discuss that.''

SPARKS FLY OVER DISPUTED CATCH

After the Sydney Test two weeks ago Cook was backed to remain as skipper by the England and Wales Cricket Board and stated his own desire to remain in the role but he indicated things might have changed since then.

``I don't really want to get dragged into it. It's been two weeks since someone has asked me that question and a lot has happened in two weeks,'' he said.

``We have kept losing games of cricket and I haven't been able to turn it around.''

Cook's demeanour after his side's eighth straight loss to Australia at least indicated he could step aside as captain of the One Day International side.

``We deserve the stick we get because we haven't won anything,'' he said.

``I have a job to do to try and turn this around and try and win one of these games, I am going to leave everything out on this pitch.''

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Kings got that winning feeling

Sydneys Kings' Charles Carmouche goes for an easy lay up in the win over the Melbourne Tigers.

SYDNEY Kings coach Shane Heal has praised the character of his troops after they recorded their third consecutive win by defeating the Melbourne Tigers 97-84 yesterday.

The Kings copped a lot of criticism when they travelled to Adelaide last Sunday with a 5-8 win-loss record, but they've now put the competition on notice after three wins in eight days.

"The best for us is that we stayed positive all the way through. People were bagging us and we stayed together and believed where we were going," Heal said.

"No one spoke about the fact that Harvs (James Harvey) was missing for seven games, not too many people spoke about the fact that we were playing without Cody (Ellis) for the first half of the year. We treated the first five weeks with Sam (Young) as a preseason and drew 0-0 on the board in Adelaide.

"Now it's 3-0 and now we've got the pieces we need, and people can start to see those pieces starting to play better together."

Scott Morrison was the shining light for Melbourne, recording 25 points and eight rebounds.

His coach Chris Anstey was disappointed with the referees after the game, saying "there were three people who were a joke today".

It was a solid all-round performance from the Kings, with Harvey providing a spark when the Kings needed one.

After Melbourne clawed their way back in front in the second quarter, Brad Hill scored all his 13 points in the second quarter to give Sydney the momentum going in to the second half.

When Melbourne forced their way back in to the contest, the Kings always responded, as a 7-2 run late in the third saw Sydney go in to the final change with a five-point lead.

Eight points in the space of two minutes from Harvey helped the Kings break out to a double-digit lead half-way through the final quarter.

Sam Young scored just seven points but held Melbourne star Chris Goulding to 10 points and thrilled the crowd with an alley-oop late in the final quarter.

AJ Ogilvy continued his consistent year with 12 points and nine rebounds, Tom Garlepp scored 16, and Heal was impressed with Ben Madgen's leadership on the court after he recorded a great stat line of 12 points, four rebounds, four assists and no turnovers.

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Wawrinka storms into quarters

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STANISLAS Wawrinka marched into the last eight at the Australian Open with a straight sets win over Tommy Robredo.

Wawrinka's 6-3, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5) victory set up a rematch with three-time defending champion Novak Djokovic, who won their fourth-round clash last year 12-10 in the fifth.

"It was a tough match," Wawrinka recalled.

"I was playing really, really good but Novak, we all know how good he is, especially in grand slams ... I haven't found a solution yet."

Djokovic holds a 15-2 win-loss record against Wawrinka, who secured his second win in eight matches against Robredo last night.

GALLERY: Ana queen on Day 7

It came after the Swiss player's first-round opponent, Andrey Golubev, retired with a calf injury and his third round was a walkover.

Robredo, on the other hand, opened his tournament with a tough five-setter against Lukas Rosol and upset No. 9 seed Richard Gasquet in four during his last match.

The Spanish 17th seed put up a fight against Wawrinka over the course of two hours and 23 minutes.

He failed to convert a break point in the first set against Wawrinka, who converted one of his two against Robredo.

The Swiss player was serving beautifully, producing 14 aces and winning 90 per cent of first serve points for the match.

Wawrinka took a 2-0 lead in the second set, but Robredo fought back to force the tiebreak, where the Spaniard took an early lead before being overrun.

Robredo had one chance to break his opponent in the ninth game of the third set, but Wawrinka saved it and games remained on serve before another tiebreak.

Robredo netted a backhand to give Wawrinka a mini-break but he won the next four points in a row to put himself back in contention.

He conceded two more points on serve, ultimately handing two match points to Wawrinka, who converted the second with a backhand volley Robredo slammed back into the net.

Wawrinka equalled his best Australian Open showing by reaching the quarter-finals, which he also achieved in 2011, losing to compatriot Roger Federer.

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Clarke on target for fifth AB Medal

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ONLY an unexpected quirk of the voting system or an over-emphasis on one-day cricket can prevent Michael Clarke from winning an unprecedented fifth Allan Border Medal on Monday night.

The Australian captain has been the standout Test batsman in the world during the past year but missed half of Australia's one-day matches because of injury.

A combined voting system that takes in all forms of the game heavily favours all-rounders, which puts Shane Watson in the frame despite his continue struggles for form and consistency.

Watson has already won two AB Medals while Clarke is in line to go past Ricky Ponting, who has four.

Clarke scored 1030 Test runs at 45 with four centuries from the beginning of the voting period on February 1, more runs and more hundreds than any other player in the game.

Australian captain Michael Clarke is a popular public figure these days. Picture: Phil Hillyard. Source: News Limited

Significantly he was at his best when Australia struggled through difficult Test series in India and England, losing seven Tests and drawing two.

Nine Tests in a row without a victory was Australia's worst run in almost 30 years.

Clarke averaged almost 48 in India and England with a century in each series and helped set up Australia's remarkable 5-0 Ashes whitewash this summer with hundreds in the first two Tests before fading.

Watson was Australia's second highest run-scorer over the past year despite averaging just 34 in 13 Tests, highlighting the struggle for runs throughout the team.

He was solid with the bat in one-day cricket, averaging 41 with three hundreds, but his bowling made little impact in Test or limited overs matches.

Clarke's greatest challenger for Test player of the year is Ryan Harris, who claimed 46 wickets in nine Tests at just 19 apiece.

George Bailey is the stand-out favourite for one-day player of the year given his remarkable performances in a building side.

He averaged 80 with two centuries and seven half-centuries.

Who will win the Allan Border Medal?

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Hughes in line for shock Test recall

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PHIL Hughes is in line for another Test resurrection as the bolter for the South African tour if the selectors favour substance over style.

Alex Doolan was the early favourite to change the "Unchangeables" for next month's three-Test series as Australia looks to bolster its top order batting against the most highly ranked pace attack in the world.

However growing concerns about Doolan's modest performances this season has left Hughes squarely in the frame to be part of the touring squad when it is announced on Monday.

The Sheffield Shield season started well for Doolan but he faded while Hughes exploded, scoring three centuries including a double hundred, giving the unorthodox left-hander 549 runs for South Australia at 61.

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Doolan has 391 at 39 for Tasmania but made eight first class scores in a row below 50, including five below 20.

Whoever receives the nod today after a lengthy debate when the selectors hooked up last night, they will replace George Bailey in the line-up following a string of first innings failures during Australia's triumphant 5-0 Ashes whitewash.

The plan is introduce another top order player at number three and move incumbent Shane Watson down to number six as the all-rounder in place of Bailey.

The Tasmania captain only kept his place because of Australia's desire to take an unchanged side through the 5-0 clean sweep.

Many players have been chopped on the back of far better performances than Bailey, most notably Brad Hodge, who was overlooked for the 2006 tour of South Africa despite an average of 58. He played just one more Test.

A 14 or 15-man squad will head to South African on January 29, with only the Twenty players in the Test squad remaining to complete three matches against England.

Phil Hughes hasn't played a Test for Australia since being dropped midway through the Ashes series in England. Source: Getty Images

All of the Test 12 will be chosen along with another batsman and one or two extra fast bowlers.

Nathan Coulter-Nile is favoured to take one of those positions along with either James Pattinson or Jackson Bird if 15 are ultimately chosen.

While Pattinson shapes as Australia's stand-out fast bowler of the future, there are concerns that neither he nor Bird have played red ball cricket since breaking down with back injuries during the Ashes tour mid-year.

Both have returned through the Big Bash and Pattinson played Sunday night's one-day game against England in Sydney.

Coulter-Nile was on standby for the second half of the Test this Ashes series as Ryan Harris struggled to overcome his chronic knee problem ahead of each Test.

Hughes has already been through three incarnations as a Test player and can be considered a little unlucky when he was dropped on the Ashes tour a Test after scoring an unbeaten 81 in a record last wicket stand with Ashton Agar.

It was in South Africa five years ago that the roller coast took off for Hughes, when he became the youngest player in history to score two centuries in a Test at the age of 20.

LIKELY SQUAD: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Phil Hughes, Michael Clarke (c), Steve Smith, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner, George Bailey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Pattinson.

Should Phil Hughes be in the squad for the South African tour?

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Schu's lucky charm found at crash site

Lucky charm ... This photo taken on October 1, 2006 shows Ferrari's German driver Michael Schumacher celebrating on the podium after winning the Chinese Grand Prix, while wearing his lucky bracelet on his right wrist. Source: MARK RALSTON / AFP

FORMULA One champion Michael Schumacher's lucky charm has been found at the scene of his tragic skiing accident.

Rescuers reportedly found the African bracelet buried in the snow, German newspaper Bild reports. Superstitious Schumacher wore it at all times, even during Formula One races.

After the lucky charm was discovered missing at the hospital, his rescuers offered to scour the site of his accident to recover it.

The champion driver's condition continues to be described as "stable", although his manager Sabine Kehm added that the 45-year-old remains in a medically induced coma in hospital since an off-piste fall in the French Alps nearly three weeks ago.

"Unfortunately I have to repeat that any information regarding Michael's health not coming from the doctors treating him or from his management must be treated as pure speculation,'' Ms Kehm said.

"I also repeat that Michael's family is very happy and confident with the work of the team of doctors treating Michael, and they trust them completely.''

Investigators probing the crash have ruled out faulty skis, inadequate signage and excessive speed as reasons for the accident, in which he slammed his head against a rock.

Schumacher appears to have skied on a partially covered rock, lost his balance and fallen on another rock further down, according to the prosecutor in charge of the investigation.

The impact was so strong it split his helmet in two.

Schumacher dominated Formula One before retiring in 2012, winning more titles than any other driver and enjoying 91 Grand Prix victories between 1994 and 2004.

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Pistorius 'negotiating settlement'

Oscar Pistorius in the dock during his bail hearing in Pretoria, South Africa, in August. Picture: Themba Hadebe Source: AP

PARALYMPIAN Oscar Pistorius's lawyers are reportedly negotiating an out-of-court settlement with the parents of slain girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

The settlement could net them around 2 million rand ($209,000), News 24 reports.

Pistorius was charged with the murder of Reeva Steenkamp, after gunning her down in their Johannesburg home on Valentine's Day last year. Pistorius maintains his innocence, claiming he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder.

The sprinter will go on trial on March 3.

Steenkamp's parents are said to have been financially straitened since the death of their daughter and are running a pub outside Port Elizabeth. It is understood they purchased the pub with money paid for interviews by foreign media.

Grieving.. June Steenkamp, mother of the late South African model Reeva Steenkamp arrives at the crematorium building to attend her funeral ceremony on February 19, 2013.

The couple are unwilling to say how much compensation they are asking from Pretorius.

The 27-year-old Olympic runner faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison if he is convicted on the main charge of premeditated murder in the shooting death of Steenkamp in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's Day.

Pistorius denies murder and says he shot Steenkamp in self-defence through a toilet door with his licensed 9mm handgun, thinking mistakenly that she was a dangerous intruder in his upscale Pretoria villa.

Prosecutors believe he intended to kill her, possibly after a loud argument in the middle of the night.

Victim... Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead by Oscar Pistorius on Valentine's Day.

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