ey were doing." ... Shortly after Pujols joined the Angels, he took offenc

The USA Cricket Association has announced over the weekend that it has offered central contracts to four players and intends to offer up to 20 more contracts in the next two to three months. The declarations were made by USACA president Gladstone Dainty and former USA coach Robin Singh during a series of speeches and presentations made at the USACA T20 National Championship in Florida this weekend.USA captain Steven Taylor, allrounders Timroy Allen and Timil Patel, and Trinbago Knight Riders batsman William Perkins were the first four players offered central contracts by the USACA. Dainty stated in a speech to the players on November 19 that the contracts were worth $48,000. It is not known if any of the players has accepted the offer yet but according to multiple sources, USAs players were advised by ICC Americas officials last month to decline any offer made by USACA after rumours of potential contract offers had circulated. A battle for control of the selection process for USA national teams is not unprecedented. In 2005, a dispute over USA squad selections between USACA and the Council of League Presidents resulted in USA being kicked out of the Intercontinental Cup and replaced by Cayman Islands. USACA was suspended soon after, the first of three administrative suspensions over the course of the next decade.In September, ICC Americas staff, currently administering USA cricket in a caretaker role, hired former Sri Lanka Test cricketer Pubudu Dassanayake as the new USA coach ahead of WCL Division Four in Los Angeles, which USA won to gain promotion to Division Three. Robin last coached a USA side at 2014 ICC WCL Division Three in Malaysia, when USA finished fifth and were relegated to Division Four, but he is still listed on the USACA web site as their mens national coach.However, under USACAs current suspension, the ICC has made clear that it has assumed complete control over USAs operational affairs including national-team selection. Dassanayake is expected to continue leading USAs preparation for Division Three in Uganda next year. USACA has until December 15 to ratify a new constitution that has been approved by the ICC. Failure to do so may see a resolution put forth by December 31 leading to USACAs potential expulsion as an Associate Member at the next ICC Annual Conference in June 2017.In a speech delivered on Sunday, Robin said he had put together a list of players from which 20 would receive USACA contracts in early 2017. Robin emphasised that the contracts were made possible by the $70 million investment deal announced last month between USACA and Philadelphia businessman Jay Pandya, who was subsequently announced as the new owner of the CPL franchise St Lucia Zouks.Were going to consider all of these people going forward to give contracts, Robin said after the list of 29 additional names for consideration was unveiled. Hopefully in the next year or two, we want to actually give out about 20 professional contracts and we want to make it as clear as possible. We want to make sure people are actually committed to the game. Ill put out a list of commitments and requirements that I expect, and theres going to be some very tough lines.The USACA list of 33 players differs in notable ways from the 30-man national squad announced by ICC Americas evaluators in July. Among those that have been included in the USACA list of potential contract recipients are several players with first-class experience overseas including former India U-19 and Mumbai medium pacer Saurabh Netravalkar, Carlitos Lopez and Roy Silva. The only players who were part of USAs Division Four and Auty Cup squads from October not included in USACAs proposed contract list are Srini Santhanam, Hammad Shahid and Abdullah Syed.In the next three months, were going to make sure there are a lot of games played, Robin said. Its not only for the people who are on this list. I will call people outside the box and I think its necessary. If people are injured, or not available, or not honest enough, we will remove them from the list because its not my money. We are playing with other peoples money here and I think [Pandya] has made a serious commitment to take the game forward in this part of the world, and I think, as cricketers, you owe it to yourself to give yourself the best chance.Vapormax Herre Norge . Carey Price didnt, but he still came out on top against one of his rivals for the No. 1 job at the Sochi Games. The Anahim Lake, B.C., native was stellar in making 39 saves in his home province and Lars Eller got credit for a bizarre short-handed winner as the Canadiens defeated the Canucks 4-1. Vapormax Flyknit Herre Norge . The next step is a better finish. Bae played bogey-free Friday on another gorgeous day at Riviera for a 5-under 66, giving him a one-shot lead over Aaron Baddeley and Robert Garrigus going into the weekend. http://www.vapormaxnorge.com/vapormax-herre-norge/vapormax-plus.html . Reigning world champion Eve Muirhead of Scotland opened with a 12-2 rout of Winnipegs Jennifer Jones in a battle of teams bound for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Vapormax Flyknit Dame Norge . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. Nike Joyride Run Norge . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Albert Pujols circled this date on his calendar when the schedule came out last winter. His first game against the St. Louis Cardinals was certainly a success from a team standpoint, if not a personal one. Jered Weaver earned his second win of an injury-plagued season with help from a five-run second inning, and the Los Angeles Angels extended their winning streak to seven games Tuesday night with a 5-1 victory over St. Louis in the Cardinals first game at Angel Stadium. St. Louis was the only National League club that had never played at the "Big A," having hosted the three previous interleague series between the teams in 2002, 2007 and 2010. Pujols, a three-time NL MVP, spent his first 11 seasons with the Cardinals before signing a $240 million, 10-year contract with the Angels in December 2011. Facing his former club for the first time, he went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a walk as the designated hitter while Mark Trumbo started at first base. "It was a little weird. But I was fine, guys. I swear. Im being honest," Pujols said. "I mean, it would have been a little different if it was in St. Louis. I mean, you cant forget the special times you had with those guys during those 11 years there. Thats something nobody can take away -- the success I had there and how those fans and everybody in the community treated me. Every time I get an opportunity to watch them, I root for them because I still have a lot of good friends there, and I still stay in touch with a lot of those guys. But these are three days that I wont be able to root for them." The first time Pujols came up, he tapped catcher Yadier Molinas shin guard with his bat and Molina tapped Pujols on the back of the helmet with his glove -- a subtle but meaningful display of affection and respect between two All-Stars who were teammates for nine seasons and won two World Series rings together. Pujols then struck out, and Molina threw out J.B. Shuck at second for an inning-ending double play. "It was cool to see him. Hes friends with a lot of us, and Im sure he was excited to see us, just like we were to see him," Cardinals third baseman David Freese said. "But I think Albert goes about every game the same way -- whether its day one of the preseason or day one of the post-season. And thats a huge reason why hes so successful." Weaver (2-4) allowed a run, six hits and no walks over seven innings. The All-Star right-hander struck out five in his ninth start of the year, working with runners on base in every inning but the seventh. "Thats what he does," Freese said. "Hes obviously not throwing as hard as he used to, but hes a gamer and he always has been. He made his pitches against a good offence. When guys get on, you have to shut the door. And he did." Weaver, who became a 20-game winner for the first time last year before a broken bone in his non-pitching arm sidelined him for more than six weeks this season, ended a streak of five winless starts that began after his 3-1 victory against the Dodgers on May 29 -- his first game back from the injury. "Coming back was kind of like spring training for me all over again, as far as building the pitch count and getting the arm strength back," said the eight-year veteran, whose 104th big league victory tied his brother Jeffs total. "I think the balls coming out a lot better than it had been, and thats just a sign of the arm strength coming back and getting over that hump finally of 100 pitches, which was nice.dddddddddddd I feel strong again, and hopefully I can maintain this through the rest of the season." The Cardinals loaded the bases in the eighth against Kevin Jepsen. Scott Downs came in and struck out rookie Matt Adams before finishing a spectacular 3-6-1 double play, after Trumbo made a slick play in the hole on a hard-hit grounder by Freese. "Marks made some really good plays for us," manager Mike Scioscia said. "But the situation being what it was, I mean, the ball was a rocket to his backhand. And to be able to turn a double play on that was impressive." Lance Lynn (10-3) gave up five runs and nine hits in six innings, striking out eight. The 26-year-old right-hander, coming off a 4-3 loss last Wednesday at Houston, has dropped back-to-back outings for the first time in 1 1/2 big league seasons spanning 48 starts. Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday was a late scratch because of tightness in his neck, hampering a lineup that had averaged a league-best 7.04 runs of support for Lynn in his other 16 starts this season. Molina was 2 for 4, raising his NL-leading average to .347. "It was good to see Yaddy and good to see him having the year that hes having," Pujols said. "I would love for him to win the batting title. Hes like my little brother, and Id do anything for him. I dont think Ive ever seen anybody prepare himself for a game like he does." The Angels sent 10 batters to the plate in the second. Lynn gave up singles to six of his first seven hitters, including run-scoring hits by Trumbo, Alberto Callaspo, Erick Aybar and Shuck. Aybar scored when second baseman Matt Carpenter misplayed Mike Trouts grounder up the middle for an error with a chance to force Shuck. Lynn ended the inning by striking out Pujols and Josh Hamilton. The Cardinals got on the board in the fourth. Allen Craig reached on an infield single, was held up at third on a double by Adams and scored on a groundout by Freese. NOTES: A ceremonial first pitch was thrown by Stan Musials grandson, Brian Schwarze, with Pujols as his catcher. Musial, who died on Jan. 19 at age 92, was honoured with a video tribute following the first inning. "Stan was my buddy," Pujols said. "I wish I would have had more opportunities to talk to him. When he walked into the clubhouse, it was like a light that was so bright. It was amazing. Everybody would stop what they were doing." ... Shortly after Pujols joined the Angels, he took offence to promotional billboards put up throughout Southern California that heralded him as "El Hombre" -- or "The Man." Pujols requested they be taken down, saying that only Musial -- whose moniker was "Stan The Man" -- should ever be referred to in that manner. ... The Angels wore circular patches with Musials name and No. 6 on the front of their jerseys, which they will do throughout this series. The idea for the unique tribute came during spring training. "Its out of the respect that everyone in baseball has for Stan Musial and his legacy, and obviously the connection with Albert," Scioscia said. "We wanted to honour a great person and a great ballplayer in a very classy way, and were proud to wear them." ' ' '