Siddle sidelined for five months as bowling stocks continue to thin

CRICKET Australia has defended its management of Peter Siddle after the hardworking paceman, who carried injuries through much of a demanding summer, was diagnosed with a serious back injury set to rule him out of international cricket for five months.

No win but McEwen thrilled to be back in gear

ANY other day Robbie McEwen would have been disappointed with a third placing, but that result was as good as a win for the veteran Australian champion and 12-time Tour de France stage winner who yesterday returned to racing after a seven-month absence at the Bay Classic in Geelong.

Maligned skipper proves a breath of fresh air on breakthrough tour

ARRIVING as the man who didn't care for Test cricket, Chris Gayle finished as the best thing this series had going for it; on the field and off.

Intikhab upbeat about series

PAKISTAN coach Intikhab Alam has labelled Australia "beatable" while laughing off reports that his job is on the line on the eve of his team's tour of Australia.

Punters expect West Indies to improve in Adelaide, but not by much

The dismal start to the West Indies tour of Australia hasn't deterred punters from having faith in them to perform better in the second Test, which begins in Adelaide today.

Agency Plans 'robust' Testing At Tour

AS AUSTRALIA'S anti-doping agency proclaimed that drug testing at the Tour Down Under would be "one of the most robust ever in Australian history" it had an ideal posterboy in triple world champion Michael Rogers.

Tour Will Make Down Under A Big Wheel In Cycling World

Three-time Tour de France green jersey winner, Robbie McEwen, tells David Sygall his thoughts on 2009, Lance Armstrong and the sport's coming of age in Australia.

Tour De Lance

SEVEN-TIME Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong (right) will make one of the biggest comebacks in sporting history in Adelaide next year when he contests the Tour Down Under.

Mcewen Affirms Tour Contention

CADEL Evans should be viewed as a contender, rather than a favourite, to win this year's Tour de France, in the mind of his Silence-Lotto teammate and compatriot Robbie McEwen.

Tour Racing To Thrilling End

ONE second separates Tour Down Under leader Martin Elmiger of Switzerland from Australian cyclist Karl Menzies heading into today's final stage.

Trio Stymied By Tough Tour Ruling

FORMER Australian Open champion Greg Chalmers, David McKenzie and Scott Hend all played the $US55 million US PGA Tour last year, but have lost their cards. Now they can't even get a start in Australasian Tour events without asking tournament organisers for an invitation.