Pace trio's plan is to 'Get Smith'

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AUSTRALIA'S Ashes fast bowling heroes fried Alastair Cook - now they are turning their "Captain Killer" blowtorch onto South African skipper Graeme Smith.

Smith out to Shane Watson in 2011 in Cape Town with Mitchell Johnson in the backdrop. Source: News Limited

Michael Clarke and his men have no great affection for Smith.

There has been a story passed down through Australian changerooms about how Smith made his debut against Australia in 2002 and then tipped a bucket on their sledging in a South African magazine a few months later.

Smith is made of exceptional stuff - he became his nation's youngest skipper at age 22. Turning 33 on Saturday, he has led South Africa through all manner of controversies and scored 9220 Test runs at almost 50.

Perhaps no captain since Clive Lloyd of the great West Indian sides of the 1980s has had such complete authority of his team.

But the Australians sense that South Africa's steely warrior, who has twice had bones in his arm broken by Mitchell Johnson thunderbolts, may not be the batsman he once was.

Without Jacques Kallis in the South African side for the first time, Australia feels that if it can get to Smith the rest of the No.1-ranked Proteas side could crumble.

They are similar tactics to how Australia pointedly went after Cook during the Ashes and the Englishman they could once not get out averaged just 24 as his side was smashed 5-0.

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Peter Siddle, who yesterday fined-tuned his South African preparations by taking 4-45 for a Qld second XI against WA second XI in Brisbane, said Australia would go after Smith in the same hostile way.

"We have always tried to target the captain and he (Smith) is the top again, like Cook," Siddle said.

"We have always had a good contest against him, it has always been hard work.

"Our bowling unit is the best I have played in since I've been in the Australian side. There is no doubt we can perform the way we did against England again."

Australian swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus celebrates the wicket of Smith in 2009 at the Wanderers. Source: AFP

ustralia's South African tour plans were shaken with allrounder James Faulkner pulling out with injury and doubts over the fitness Shaun Marsh and Jackson Bird.

But Faulkner wasn't in Australia's first choice Test XI and Alex Doolan is likely to be preferred to Marsh for George Bailey's former spot in the starting XI.

Smith gives a thumbs-up after South Africa beats Australia in the 2011 Cape Town Test. Source: News Limited

The good news is Siddle and fellow Ashes fast bowling hero Ryan Harris looked impressive in their red-ball hit-out in second XI cricket before both jet out to South Africa this morning.

Harris, who points out it is a huge bonus for Australia that South Africa's all-round legend Jacques Kallis has retired ahead of next month's three-Test series, worked back to form and fitness taking 2-49.

Harris has played just one Test in South Africa but says he will feel like he is bowling at home.

"I see it as a similar situation to playing here in Australia, the wickets are pretty similar. I will just approach it like I am bowling on home wickets," Harris said.

Australian Test squad member James Pattinson also played second XI state cricket in Brisbane this week and bowled with nice pace and swing.

"He has had his hiccups in the last couple of years but when he gets back on song he always competes hard and goes at it," Siddle said of Pattinson.

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Hamilton crashes his new Mercedes

Off track ... Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton had a rough start to testing in Jerez. Source: Miguel Angel Morenatti / AP

LEWIS Hamilton drove his new Mercedes into the barrier during Formula One's first preseason session overnight, only hours after its unveiling.

Hamilton emerged unscathed from the crash that his team said was caused by a front wing failure.

Hamilton and teammate Nico Rosberg presented Mercedes' silver-and-turquoise W05 before testing got under way, and the former champion was the first to take his car out and the first to complete a full lap at the Jerez track.

He drove into the barrier at turn 1 midway through the session, leaving debris and long tyre marks before he went off the asphalt.

So far, few drivers have ventured out as teams struggle with new engineering rules that have caused them to revamp their cars.

There have been three red flags, including Hamilton's. Of the five drivers who have taken to the track in southern Spain, only two have completed laps so far.

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Aussie teen Exum set for NBA draft

Basketball wizz ... Teenager Dante Exum, 19, has said he will make himself available for the NBA draft, where he is expected to be picked in the top-five. Source: Jason Edwards / News Limited

AUSTRALIAN basketball wonder Dante Exum, 19, has decided to declare for this year's NBA draft in the US.

His family made the announcement in a statement, saying they had signed with talent agent Rob Pelinka and Brandon Rosenthal of Landmark Sports Agency. Pelinka's clients include Kobe Bryant and Andre Drummond.

"We are excited to be working with Landmark Sports," Cecil, Desiree and Dante Exum said in a statement to ESPN. "Our family felt The Landmark Team represented our style and manner of treating people, and in doing businesses. We also all shared a common commitment to achieving excellence in all things. The fit is just great and we are really pleased to now begin the work."

Exum and his family met with eight different agents in Melbourne during the past month.

"We are thrilled and honoured to be working with Dante and his family," Pelinka said in a statement. "As the NBA continues to expand its brand around the world, we feel like Dante's international story comes at a perfect time. We also believe that, with continued hard work and focus, Dante is destined to be a 'franchise' point guard in this next generation of great NBA players."

Exum is considered to be a top-five draft pick. He is currently ranked No. 4 in ESPN's Top 100 and ranked as the No. 1 point guard.

Last week Exum led his team, Lake Ginninderra in Canberra, to the national schools basketball title.

His speed is his main gift but his jump shot is a work in progress.

The announcement came as 17-year-old Melbourne teenager, Brandon Stenhouse, announced he had signed a six-figure deal with the New York Yankees baseball side as a pitcher.

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Stosur: Li Na can be world No. 1

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FORMER US Open champion Sam Stosur has backed Li Na to reach top spot in the world rankings, after the Chinese sensation's Australian Open victory.

Australian Stosur voiced her belief in 31-year-old Li ahead of an exhibition match between the two in Hong Kong. Li has already declared that she is determined to work hard to become number one following her win in Melbourne.

"Think about her ability and what she has been able to do in the last year or so - for sure I think she has a chance to get even higher than number three," Stosur, 29, told reporters.

"I don't see any reason why you wouldn't think anything is possible ... of course, it's very very hard. The closer you get the harder it gets."

Li is third in the rankings, just 11 points behind second-placed Victoria Azarenka, after downing Dominika Cibulkova on Saturday to take her second Grand Slam title after winning in France in 2011.

Winning tournaments and fans ... Li Na poses with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup at Brighton Beach, after winning the 2014 Australian Open.

Serena Williams, 32, remains world number one.

Stosur said she did not believe Li's age would hold her back.

"Lots of players now are playing their best tennis at a little bit older age ... being healthy is the important thing," she said in a phone conference in Hong Kong.

Describing Li as "down to earth" Stosur said she loved the post-match one-liners that had the Melbourne audience in stitches.

Looking forward ... Ana Ivanovic of Serbia, left, is congratulated by Samantha Stosur of Australia at the net after Ivanovic's win in their third round match at the Australian Open.

Li thanked her agent for making her rich and jokingly blamed her husband Jiang Shan's snoring for keeping her awake.

The two will meet at the BNP Paribas Showdown exhibition in Hong Kong in March, to mark World Tennis Day.

Stosur was a top 10 player almost continuously for three years until her run ended when she finished last year ranked 18, after a season blighted by injury.

She has however won all six of her WTA tour matches against Li.

"For whatever reasons I have always had success against Li Na when we played. But they've been very very tough matches," she said.

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Woods, McIlroy prepare to face off

Golfer Rory McIlroy (R) of Northern Ireland and US golfer Tiger Woods at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. The pair is set to go head to head at the Dubai Desert Classic. Source: MARWAN NAAMANI / AFP

TOP draws Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy will go head-to-head over the first two rounds of the 25th anniversary Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday and Friday.

They will be hoping for a better showing than a year ago when both opted to start their season in nearby Abu Dhabi and, playing together, miserably missed the cut.

This time, both players have already lit the fuse to their new seasons with contrasting fortunes.

The 38-year-old Woods missed a Saturday, third round cut at Torrey Pines after matching his worst-ever score on US soil, a seven-over 79 for the most inauspicious of starts.

He made no comment afterwards other than a - "No I'm done'' - when asked to comment on his round.

Of course Woods has rebounded from a poor showing in double-quick time before, notably last year when he went straight from Abu Dhabi to win the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines - the first of five titles in the year en route to another Player of the Year award.

In contrast, McIlroy came within a two-stroke rules violation of winning in Abu Dhabi which would have seen him take back-to-back titles following his victory in the Australian Open late last year.

He believes all is in place for him to produce another stellar year, rebounding from his travails of 2013 when an equipment change and business-related distractions left him befuddled.

"I have started off the year well,'' McIlroy said.

"I was a little disappointed coming off the second place in Abu Dhabi. I felt like I should have won but there were a lot of positives to take from the week. I played very well.

"I felt like I could have done a few things better which I have worked on over the last week to go into this tournament in Dubai but all in all I am in a good place and really looking forward to 2014.''

What is sure is that he will be wary of the wounded Tiger, missed cut or no missed cut.

The two biggest names in golf have played together in tournaments several times but never down the home stretch in a major and they have yet to produce fireworks when in the same grouping.

"It's great to have him here sfr1/8 in Dubai sfr3/8 ,'' said McIlroy of Woods' return to the bustling emirate after a two-year absence.

"He got off to a bit of a slow start to the season so he will be wanting to make up for that this week. I think he has still got a few good years left so I am looking forward to battling with him down the stretch a few times.''

Joining Woods and McIlroy will be defending champion Stephen Gallacher of Scotland, who is desperate to stash up some big Ryder Cup points to give himself a chance of making the European team for the showdown with the United States on home turf at Gleneagles in September.

In the strongest European Tour field of the season so far, world number three Henrik Stenson of Sweden, the 2007 champion, will be one to watch along with record three-time former winner Ernie Els, in-form Jamie Donaldson of Wales and 2012 champion Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain.

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Vettel prays for Schumacher miracle

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REIGNING Formula 1 world champion Sebastian Vettel said he was praying for a miracle recovery for his friend Michael Schumacher after a ski accident left the fellow German in a coma for five weeks.

Speaking trackside at Jerez in Spain where his Red Bull team were testing their new car, Vettel said it was distressing to hear the news of his friend and former F1 champion Schumacher.

Equally distressing were reports the 45-year-old - in an induced coma in hospital since the accident in the French Alps last month where he struck his head on rocks - may never recover and be left in a vegetative state.

Vettel, at times appearing lost for words, said he had known Schumacher for a long time and looked up to him all his life and the pair became friends when the seven-time champion returned from retirement to race again in 2010.

Vettel said when he heard he didn't think the accident was that bad but now weeks later he was still in a coma.

"We still don't know what shape he will be in when he wakes up," the 26-year-old four time champion Vettel said.

'It's horrible' ... Sebastian Vettel has not visited Michael Schumacher as he did not want to intrude on the former champ's family. Picture: Ella Pellegrini

"It's horrible, especially for his family and close friends, not knowing what is going to happen. In that regard I think I am still as shocked as everyone else and I pray and hope he will just come back and the miracle will happen and he will be the person he has always been before."

He said with all the attention he did not want to visit Grenoble Hospital at the base of the French Alps where the Schumacher family is on an around-the-clock vigil, saying it was a time for family. Vettel said he did not want to distract from his idol's recovery.

Vettel's Red Bull teammate Australian Daniel Ricciardo also described Schumacher's predicament now as an "extremely unfortunate circumstance" and he too hoped for the best.

At the F1 formal practice session in Spain yesterday, ahead of the 2014 Grand Prix season where Vettel hopes to beat Schumacher's record of five consecutive championships, one of Shumacher's former teams Mercedes included the message "keepfightingmichael" on their W05 car for the season.

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