Athletics-Kenya drop Komon from world cross country team, Posted by Meosha Eaton

EMBU, Kenya, Feb 26 (Reuters) - Kenya have dropped Leonard Komon from their World Cross Country championships team after he defied orders not to take part in the World's Best 10km road race in Puerto Rico on Sunday. "We have taken this decision to give him leeway to compete in Puerto Rico and for the best interest of the team since he would be burned out," Kenya team leader Joseph Kinyua said.

Komon, who had been set to take part in his sixth successive world championships, became the first man to dip under the 27-minute mark for 10km on the road when he ran 26:44 in Utrecht, Netherlands, last September. Komon's management team said the 23-year-old would comment on his exclusion on Monday.

"Athletics Kenya should always act in the best interest of athletes," said a spokesman. "Komon has done his country proud and he should not be sacrificed for the interests of a few." The athletes are training in Embu at the foot of Mount Kenya some 190 km (118 miles) north east of Nairobi for next month's event in Spain.

Komon's place has been taken by Paul Tanui. Vivian Cheruiyot, the women's world 5,000 metres track champion, and Linet Masai, the women's world 10,000 metres track champion, pulled out of the lucrative Puerto Rico race after being told to concentrate on the cross country worlds. (Reporting by Jack Oyoo; Edited by Brian Homewood

Facts and figures relating to the Group A World Cup match, Posted by Meosha Eaton

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Facts and figures relating to the Group A World Cup match between Australia and Zimbabwe (0900 GMT) at Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, on Monday:

Head-to-head record
Total played: 27. Australia wins: 25; Zimbabwe wins: 1; NR: 1
In the sub-continent: 6. Australia wins: 6; Zimbabwe wins: 0
In the World Cups: 8. Australia wins: 7; Zimbabwe wins: 1


* Australia have dominated their performance over Zimbabwe, having lost only once in their inaugural encounter in the 1983 World Cup by 13 runs. There have been a few other instances when Zimbabwe did run Australia close (twice at Perth - 1994 when Australia won by two wickets, and 2001 when they won by one run), but Australia's firepower have almost always prevailed.

* The two teams have met each other once at Motera when Alistair Campbell's century had given Australia a real scare, although they eventually won by 13 runs.

* Both sides might look to win the toss and bat first, as Motera holds a slight edge for sides batting first. Out of 18 matches played at the ground, teams batting first have emerged triumphant 10 times.

* Zimbabwe's recent form has not been great (LLLWL) and they have won only seven of the 20 ODIs they played in 2010. However, what will bolster their confidence is the fact that they have beaten West Indies, Sri Lanka and India at least once during this period and they will be hoping to put in a strong, consistent performance over the next six weeks.

* Australia have lost the Ashes and might have lost their aura of invincibility as well. But as they are on a 29-match winning streak at the World Cup, no one can write them off from lifting a fourth successive title. With a 6-1 drubbing of England in the recently concluded series, a very good ODI form (WWWLW) and 14 wins and nine losses in the last 12 months, they have always been extremely strong contenders.

* Brendan Taylor has shown good form in the warm up matches for Zimbabwe, with two half centuries and a well compiled 40 against South Africa. He scored two centuries in 2010 against good quality bowling attacks of Sri Lanka and South Africa. Zimbabwe will be hoping for a solid start from him at the top of the order.

* Shane Watson has been the Australian ODI player to watch. He has had 16 scores between 30 and 70 in the 27 matches he has played in the past 13 months. He has almost always got Australia off to a good start, but has failed to convert his starts to big scores except for his 161 not out against England at Melbourne. That, along with his wicket taking ability, makes him one of the players to watch in this tournament.
(Compiled by Rajiv Gupta, editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)