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Leeds United look to have confirmed the signing of young goalkeeper Rory Mahady.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, LUFC Youth revealed that the Whites have now confirmed the signing of the Celtic goalkeeper on a two-year scholarship deal, having been heavily linked with a move for the 16-year-old over the course of the summer transfer window.

In their post, LUFC Youth said:

“LUFC have completed the signing of Scotland U17s goalkeeper Rory Mahady from Celtic. The 16-year-old has joined on a two-year scholarship and will link up with the U18s.”

In a further post on his personal Instagram account (via Leeds Live), the teenager also confirmed his departure from the Parkhead side, writing on Sunday:

“Today I have officially left Celtic. Just want to say a massive thank you to the players and staff for the last nine years. It was a pleasure, wishing everyone the best of luck for the future.”

The next Meslier

Considering the sheer amount of interest in the services of Mahady this summer – with Football Scotland reporting back in May that both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City were also keen to tie up a deal for the Celtic sensation – Victor Orta’s signing of the shot-stopper very much appears to be something of a huge coup for the Whites.

Indeed, while Mahady is yet to make a senior appearance in his career to date – something that is not exactly unusual for a 16-year-old goalkeeper – it would appear as if there is a great deal of hype surrounding the Scotland U17 international – with Scottish journalist Mark Hendry dubbing the ‘keeper a “starlet” back in November of last year.

And, considering how well Orta’s acquisition of another largely inexperienced and unknown goalkeeper in the shape of Illan Meslier has panned out for Jesse March’s side thus far, it would appear as if the Spaniard knows a young talent between the sticks when he sees one.

Indeed, following his £5m signing in the summer of 2020, the France U21 international was one of the Whites’ standout performers in his debut campaign in the top flight of English football, keeping 11 clean sheets and making an average of four saves per game – the second-most in the division – over his 35 Premier League appearances in 2020/21.

These returns saw the 22-year-old – who now has a market valuation of £43m – average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.13, ranking him as Leeds’ fourth-best performer in the top flight that season – form which has seen the Frenchman attract the interest of clubs such as Manchester United.

As such, while Mahady undoubtedly has a long way to go before he is competing with the former FC Lorient starlet for the Whites’ number one shirt, considering his growing reputation in the game and the fact that a number of elite-level clubs were extremely interested in his signature this summer, it would very much appear as if Orta could have unearthed his next Meslier in the Scottish sensation.

According to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, Manchester City are ‘closing’ in on a deal to sign Anderlecht defender Sergio Gomez.

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s left-back hunt

After losing Oleksandr Zinchenko to Premier League rivals Arsenal and then missing out on Marc Cucurella, Pep Guardiola will be on the hunt for a new left-back, and it sounds like he’s identified his ideal target.

BBC Sport reported on Tuesday that the Sky Blues are in talks regarding a potential deal for 21-year-old Gomez, and after a quick development, it sounds like his transfer to the Etihad could be announced imminently.

The Latest: City set to sign Gomez

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that it should simply be a matter of time before Gomez is unveiled as a Man City player. He wrote:

“Excl: Manchester City are closing on Sergio Gómez deal with Anderlecht. Fee will be in excess of €10m, final details being discussed and then it will be completed.

“Plan has always been to loan him to Girona… but been told City could now decide to keep Sergi.”

The Verdict: Threat down the flank

It’s believed that City’s initial plan was to buy Gomez before sending him straight back out on loan, but to now learn that Guardiola is considering keeping hold of him suggests that he sees his star potential.

The Spaniard, dubbed the ‘heir to Iniesta’ by football journalist Ronan Murphy, had an outstanding season last term, providing an incredible 15 assists and netting seven goals in all competitions for Anderlecht, via Transfermarkt.

With this kind of form from the wing-back position, it’s no surprise that the City boss wants him to be involved with the action in and around the first team, and he would be a fantastic addition for the future of the club if they managed to secure his services.

Alexandre Braeckman has dropped an update on the future of reported Leeds United transfer target Charles De Ketelaere.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Belgian RTL journalist revealed that, despite recent reports suggesting that AC Milan looked as if they were unable to meet the demands of Club Brugge in their attempts for the centre-forward, the Serie A champions remain in talks with the Belgian club and are still confident of closing a deal for the 21-year-old.

TEAMtalk journalist James Marshment also relayed an update on Twitter from RTL Sport regarding the current situation of the Belgium international, in which it is claimed that Milan are now preparing a final offer of €33m (£28m) plus a sell-on percentage for the striker, while Leeds’ bid currently sits at €37.5m (£31.8m).

In response to a supporter asking for the latest on De Ketelaere, Braeckman said: “No bid submitted [on Monday]. Talks still ongoing and Milan remain confident to close the deal. I can’t tell you anything more right now, but I think we’re in the final stage of this move.”

Orta must now act

Considering just how long Milan’s pursuit of De Ketelaere has dragged on, in addition to the Rossoneri still not having met Brugge’s reported €35m (£30m) asking price for the 21-year-old, Victor Orta could now very much turn the screw on Stefano Pioli’s side by upping the Whites’ current €37.5m offer to €40m (£34m).

Also, considering the sheer amount of potential that the £27m-rated forward undoubtedly possesses, it would be well worth the additional cost for the Whites if a £2.2m increase in their offer for the Belgian be enough for Brugge to finally put an end to Milan’s tedious efforts to sign the youngster.

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Indeed, over his 39 Jupiler Pro League appearances in 2021/22, the £17k-per-week talent was in astonishing form, scoring 14 goals, registering nine assists and creating 16 big chances for his team-mates, along with making 1.8 key passes, taking two shots and completing 1.4 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the eight-cap international average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.25, ranking him not only as Alfred Schreuder’s fourth-best performer in the league but also the 13th-best player in the entire Belgian top flight last time out.

As such, with De Ketelaere quite evidently being a hugely promising young talent, one who could quite easily develop into something of a world-beater at Elland Road, it would appear wise for Orta to do that all he can to force Brugge’s hand in a deal for the 21-year-old.

Otherwise, Leeds’ director of football very much runs the risk of missing out on the starlet to Milan this summer.

AND in other news: Leeds given green light for “exceptional” target, he’s got a “left foot made of gold”

Journalist Ryan Taylor has suggested that Tottenham Hotspur would rather sign Leeds United winger Raphinha over Everton star Richarlison this summer. 

The lowdown: Brazilian interest

Spurs have been heavily linked with both Raphinha and Richarlison in recent weeks as Antonio Conte attempts to build a squad to cope with the rigours of the upcoming campaign, along with the addition of Champions League football to the schedule.

The duo are hot property in the transfer window, with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona and Arsenal all attentive to either or both of the Brazil internationals’ situations.

Despite the need for added depth at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a sensational swoop for both players seems unlikely, and one onlooker has run the rule over the possible priority for Fabio Paratici…

The latest: Raphinha the chosen one

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Taylor has claimed that Tottenham would be best served to sign 25-year-old Raphinha over his compatriot of the same age.

The Daily Express journalist said: “I think Spurs are edging slightly more towards Raphinha at the moment.

“I think if you look at Richarlison’s profile, my personal view is he’s mainly better centrally and if you look at Tottenham’s side, he won’t have many opportunities through the middle. Outside of that, he sometimes plays off the left, and Son plays there as well.”

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The verdict: Nothing to split them

Since arriving in the Premier League from Ligue 1 club Rennes in 2020, Raphinha – who was described as being a ‘nightmare’ for defenders by Alan Hutton due to his versatility – has been nothing short of a revelation for Leeds, scoring 17 times and providing 11 assists in 66 outings for a newly-promoted team one year before battling relegation the next.

Despite being able to operate on both wings, the nine-cap Brazil international has mainly been utilised as a right winger during his time in England and would likely provide competition for Dejan Kulusevski, who himself has been in inspirational form since moving to the Lilywhites on loan from Juventus. The Swede netted five goals and supplied eight assists since his mid-season move to north London in January.

Meanwhile, Richarlison backed up two consecutive 13-goal English top-flight campaigns with 10 goals in 2021/22 to help save Everton from the drop and has also shown a willingness to play in different roles during his rise to prominence at the elite level.

Ultimately, both men have proven to be worthy of a big-money move this summer from their current clubs, and the Tottenham squad would benefit from having either added to the ranks.

Newcastle United are close to completing a move for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur, according to Daily Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath. 

The lowdown: Prodigious talent

Captain of Scotland at the Under 17 level, McArthur has already made great strides in a fledgeling career to date north of the border.

The exciting young defender made a senior bow for Kilmarnock last season and ended the campaign with four first-team outings under his belt.

Now, slightly over a month on from his 17th birthday, it appears as though the Magpies are nearing a swoop for the talented teenager…

The latest: McGrath on McArthur

Taking to Twitter, reputable journalist McGrath has claimed that Newcastle are set to land the 10-cap Scotland youth starlet.

He stated: “Newcastle are close to completing deal for Kilmarnock centre-back Charlie McArthur. Scotland youth international seen as huge prospect but sources at his club say it is difficult to stand in way when youngster is targeted by a Premier League club.”

The verdict: Snap him up

Described as a ‘dream to work with’ by then Kilmarnock boss Tommy Wright following a senior debut in the 3-1 win over Queen’s Park last term, McArthur can also operate as a left-back and would therefore provide all-important versatility to the Toon ranks further down the line.

Unperturbed by the lack of senior-level exposure, albeit perhaps too soon for McArthur to make an immediate impact on Eddie Howe’s plans, positioning such talented youngsters in situ at St James’ Park is a hugely promising sign as the era under PIF begins to take shape.

Should this move now be completed as expected, intentions will no doubt turn to bolster the first-team ranks as reports continue to index Newcastle with a move for Lille ace Sven Botman and Reims’ frontman Hugo Ekitike.

In the meantime, however, this is a deal that shows the long-term intentions of the ownership group as well as potentially an eye from newly appointed Sporting Director Dan Ashworth as to his vision for the Magpies moving forwards.

In other news, this maestro is willing to bide his time in order to seal a Newcastle move

Sunderland’s Lynden Gooch is reportedly attracting interest from Portsmouth ahead of the expiry of his contract. 

The lowdown

Gooch has been with Sunderland since 2012, having joined from the Santa Cruz Breakers Academy in his native United States.

He penned a contract extension in December 2018, but that deal only runs until the end of the current season.

Gooch, who’s valued at £540,000 by Transfermarkt, has made 211 appearances for the Black Cats overall, scoring 23 goals and providing 35 assists in that time.

The latest

BBC Sport reporter Andrew Moon tweeted the news about Gooch on Thursday evening.

“I’m told that out of contract SAFC winger Lynden Gooch is a player that would interest Pompey should he become available,” he wrote. 

It remains to be seen whether Sunderland agree fresh terms with the American, or allow him to seal a free transfer to Fratton Park.

The verdict

Sunderland will hope that this story doesn’t serve as a distraction for Gooch ahead of next Saturday’s League One play-off final against Wycombe Wanderers.

The 26-year-old looks almost certain to start at Wembley, having played every minute of the two-legged semifinal against Sheffield Wednesday and started ten of the last 13 in the regular season.

Gooch, who has four caps for his country, is a useful asset for any manager given his capacity to play in multiple positions. This season, alone he’s operated in both full-back positions and wing roles.

His former manager Lee Johnson described him as a ‘bustler’ and a ‘pocket dynamo’, marvelling at his energetic presence.

The arguments for extending his stay, then, are pretty compelling.

In other news, an insider has dropped another key transfer update.

Disappointed with the collapse against Pakistan, Aaron Finch hopes Australian batsmen learn from their mistakes, make better decisions

Sidharth Monga at The Oval14-Jun-20192:59

Hussey: I’d play Zampa, can’t rely on Finch and Maxwell

One day, Australia look like they are back to being the monstrous world-beating side. David Warner and Steven Smith are back. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins are bowling together. Glenn Maxwell looks dangerous in the middle order. There is so much experience of success in that change room.Next day, it seems they are just an ordinary side. Warner is beating his own mark for the slowest fifty, achieved in the previous match. Usman Khawaja is backing away from a bouncer. They are struggling against spin once again. They are almost blown away by a one-dimensional bouncer plan. If you play out Cummins and Starc, they can seem toothless for long stretches. They don’t even have an allrounder in the squad right now.They have even found ways to put these two extremes together on the same day. In Taunton, against Pakistan, Warner went back to being the busy and not “timid” opener that he was before he was sent into exile. All of a sudden, Australia were looking extremely dangerous again, and then they wasted a start of 189 for 2 in the 29th over to be bowled out for 307 without even playing out the 50 overs.It once again came down to the use of Maxwell, who was promoted in this innings to No. 4 after it could have been argued he didn’t get enough time to make an impact in the tall chase against India. The feeling you got was, Australia were looking to dominate, and felt they had enough in case there should be a collapse. Maxwell came in, tried to hit through the line, was beaten by one that seamed and was bowled.

That was my decision to send him in, and I probably didn’t make the right call on how tough the wicket was to walk in and really up the anteFINCH ON SENDING MAXWELL IN AT NO. 4 AGAINST PAKISTAN

What followed was an ugly collapse that left captain Aaron Finch disappointed. “It was a little disappointing to leave a few out there,” Finch said in a remarkably honest assessment. “Because we saw on a ground that’s so hard to defend like Taunton, that once a team gets a run on it, it can be hard to stop regardless of who is playing. I think we just looking to go a little bit too hard too soon after the start that we had. I think that we probably forced it a little bit too much, and probably left it to somebody else. We thought that somebody else was going to do the job but, at the same time, we still got ourselves into a great position.”We got guys a little bit of time in the middle that allowed them to get the feel of the game and get a bit of a flow into the World Cup. Shaun Marsh had not played a game; he got to come in and get some time in the middle. It would have been great if he spent a bit more time there and took the game a bit deeper, but when you’re playing seven batters, it’s probably the risk versus reward. If that comes off, then do you get that huge total, but at the same time, I was probably just a little bit disappointed that we failed to learn throughout the innings.”There was times when it looked like every time we tried to hit it down the ground, a big shot down the ground in the air, it went straight up. A couple of guys still made that same mistake after a few guys before them had as well. So that was a bit disappointing.”This much is clear: Australia want to impose themselves; they believe they can impose themselves, but they are yet to arrive at an XI and at an understanding where they know what the best way to go about it is. They don’t quite have the strike ability of India in the middle overs, so it is understandable that they have to take the risk of going for that above-par total. At the same time, they need batsmen who can scale back out in the middle.Maxwell, meanwhile, continues to be their jack in the box. They want him to create the maximum impact whenever he goes out to bat. Admittedly, they got that timing wrong in Taunton. “Whether that’s from the 35th over, from the 20th over, that’s just game-by-game, and that was my decision to send him in, and I probably didn’t make the right call on how tough the wicket was to walk in and really up the ante,” Finch said. “So that was my bad mistake, especially after being out there for 20 overs. It was probably a wicket that we could have built for a little bit longer and tried to have maximum impact right at the end, rather than maximum impact for 25 overs.”In successive matches, Australia have gone too soft and too hard. They still have three wins in four games. One way of looking at it is they have been lucky that they have six points without being at their best. The other way, the way Australia are looking at it is: how good will they be when or if they get anywhere close to getting it right?

Ankit Bawne is a domestic veteran at 23: talented, consistent across formats, and hardened by early setbacks. Having enjoyed another fruitful Ranji Trophy season, he is confident an India call-up isn’t far away

Arun Venugopal11-Dec-2016Ankit Bawne has had an intriguing career. He made his first-class debut at 15, in 2007-08, and established himself as a regular in the Maharashtra side in three years. Since 2010-11, he has never averaged less than 45 in a Ranji Trophy season. Six days shy of turning 24, Bawne is already some sort of veteran: he has played 68 first-class matches and scored 4663 runs at an average of 52.98, including 15 hundreds. A List A average of 43.08 from 43 games suggests he is not a one-format player.Despite his numbers, Bawne has never been part of India A or IPL squads. He doesn’t deny feeling disappointed but offers a practical alternative to sulking. “There is just one goal – to play for India. Till that time, I have to keep fighting,” he tells ESPNcricinfo at the end of Maharashtra’s Group B match against Assam in Chennai. “I look at it positively because in cricket there is no point in being negative; you only get demotivated.”Five years ago Bawne could have easily become demotivated after making headlines for the wrong reasons. He was removed from the India under-19 squad ahead of a quadrangular tournament in Visakhapatnam after the date of birth in his passport was found to not match the one in his birth certificate and the BCCI’s records. As it didn’t meet the cut-off date for the 2012 Under-19 World Cup, Bawne, who was originally named captain for the quadrangular tournament, was omitted. Unmukt Chand took over the captaincy and went on to win the World Cup, even as Bawne lamented that the agent who had arranged for his passport had mixed up the dates.Bawne does not think the episode hindered his future selections, but admits the controversy was a test of his mental toughness, especially with the odd taunt tossed at him on the field. “You have to endure such stuff. In cricket, there are no easy days,” he says. “The support of my family, the team coach and Ajay [Shirke] sir, our president [of the Maharashtra Cricket Association], was crucial. But, you have to be tough and remain steadfast in your goals. The character I showed at that time has led to where I am now.”The Under-19 was a shortcut for me to the national side, but the ultimate dream is to play for the senior team. I don’t think [my performances are overshadowed by the controversy] because Ranji Trophy is not an under-19 tournament. The selectors have played enough cricket to know that Ranji Trophy performances count as far as selection for Test cricket is concerned. Many players obviously get a chance by virtue of the IPL, but I am not a part of the IPL, so Ranji Trophy is everything to me.”Many quality players in domestic cricket have rued the chance for lesser talents to attract selectors’ attentions with a few good IPL performances. Bawne too says not playing in the IPL is a setback because of the recall value it brings.”It is a little tough at the Ranji Trophy level compared to the IPL; this time there are no [league] matches being broadcast in contrast to the IPL where every match is shown live. (the game spans three hours and there are 14 matches. Even if someone plays two good shots, he gets noticed).”Bawne, however, understands there are many routes to the Indian dressing room, and that batsmen better than him have taken the harder route and succeeded. He derives comfort from how long the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane had to grind it out in domestic cricket before breaking into the national side. A chat with Virender Sehwag further strengthened his belief that the rigours of the Ranji Trophy would ultimately prove rewarding.”Pujara and Rahane got their chances after scoring about 5000 runs in first-class cricket,” Bawne says. “When you play 60-70 first-class matches and then play Test cricket, you see how these players dominate in international cricket.”During the last season, when we were playing against Haryana, I asked Virender Sehwag sir how I could make the step up to the next level. He told me I was playing well and I will get my chances. It wasn’t like I would be completely ignored.”Bawne knows he has to score at least 700-800 runs every season – his personal target hovers around the 1000-run mark – to be on the selectors’ radar. He is Maharashtra’s leading run-getter this season with 687 runs at an average of 57.25, but will not get any more opportunities to inch towards 1000 runs with his team failing to make the knockouts.The accomplishment of a maiden double-hundred, though, has given him plenty of satisfaction. His 258 came in the course of the second-highest partnership in first-class history in the company of captain Swapnil Gugale in Delhi.”Whatever I have set out to achieve – to score big runs, to remain consistent and average around 50 – I have done that. I wanted to score a double-hundred this time,” he says. “I bat at No.5-6, so I mostly have to score runs with the bowlers for company. Luckily against Mumbai, since Kedar Jadhav was away for the New Zealand [ODI] series, I got to bat at No.4. It was a good wicket and there was a quality opposition in the form of Delhi, so I couldn’t let go of that chance.”Bawne also sees a role-model in India’s limited-overs captain MS Dhoni. In 2014-15, when Bawne hit a dead-end in his limited-overs batting, he decided to re-invent his game. Bawne says he picked up cues from watching Dhoni on TV and applied the knowledge during practice. The results were instant as Bawne scored two hundreds and an unbeaten 78 from four innings in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.”I have been inspired by how he [Dhoni] makes runs in the one-dayers, especially with the lower order, and how he plays percentage cricket,” he says. “I didn’t want to be a one-dimensional player and wanted to average around 45-50 in one-dayers. I was trying to clear the ropes, and focusing on my release shots as well.”Closer home, Bawne has found inspiration in Jadhav, whose recent successes in international cricket, he feels, have provided him and his team-mates a template to follow.”When six-seven players from Mumbai or Delhi used to make it to the Indian team, it became easier for the others to stay under the radar and keep performing,” he says. “I got to know what the path was after seven-eight years of hard-work. Had there been an India player in the side, you would have learnt it in two years.”Now we know the path to succeed – Kedar has scored 1000 runs and progressed. When I talk to Kedar, he says it’s a big deal to have 5000-odd runs at my age and keeps telling me to stick it out.”That would be good advice, especially with the chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, taking notice of Bawne’s performances. “His records have been good, but this year he has been very consistent,” Prasad tells ESPNcricinfo. “My colleagues have watched him bat this season and I have seen him bat last year. He is a good player.”Bawne feels he is currently in the best form of his life. “This year I am feeling very comfortable,” he says. “I am not trying to take risks and I don’t feel nervous at all.”

Stats highlights from the second ODI between England and Australia, at Lord’s

Shiva Jayaraman05-Sep-2015206.45 Mitchell Marsh’s strike rate in his innings of 64 – the second-best strike rate by any batsman to score at least 50 runs in an ODI in England. Craig McMillan’s strike rate of 237.03 in his 27-ball 64 against USA in the 2004 Champions Trophy is the best. This was also the second-highest strike rate in an ODI innings of 50 or more runs by an Australia batsman against England. James Faulkner had struck at 208.33 in his unbeaten innings of 50 in a tri-series final in Perth earlier this year, which is the highest.15.71 Scoring rate of the stand between Morgan and Plunkett – the highest for a partnership of at least 50 runs against Australia in ODIs. This was also the third best run-rate in a fifty-plus partnership by England.1951 Last time an England batsman was out obstructing the field in international cricket before Ben Stokes in this match. Len Hutton was given out obstructing the field in the second innings against South Africa at The Oval. Overall, this is only the seventh time a batsman has been dismissed in this manner in international cricket.12 Number of sixes hit in this match – the most hit in an ODI at Lord’s. The previous highest was the 11 sixes hit in an ODI between the hosts and West Indies in 2004.8 Sixes conceded by England in this match – equal second highest that they have conceded in an ODI against Australia. The most sixes they have conceded to Australia was at the MCG in 2002-03 when they conceded nine.5 Sixes conceded by Moeen Ali in this match – equal third highest conceded by an England bowler in ODIs since 2001. New Zealand had hit seven sixes off Chris Jordan in an ODI at The Oval in June this year, which is the most. Including Ali in this game, four of the top-five instances of an England bowler conceding most sixes in an ODI have come this year.1 Number of times before Australia’s innings in this match that five or more batsmen in their middle-order had made at least 30 runs. The last and the only time this happened was in an ODI against West Indies at the Adelaide Oval in 2004-05.2002 The last and the only time any team made a higher total from 50 or fewer overs in an ODI at Lord’s. On that occasion both the teams – the hosts and India – had made more than the 309 by Australia in this match. This was also only the fifth time a team had posted a total of 300-plus from 50 or fewer overs at this venue in ODIs.8.5 Ali’s economy in this match, his worst in an ODI and the third-most expensive figures by any bowler to bowl five or more overs at Lord’s. He conceded 62 runs from his eight overs in this game, the most he has conceded in an ODI.4/56 Pat Cummins’ bowling figures in this match – his best in ODIs. His previous best was the 3 for 28 he took on his debut against South Africa in Centurion in 2011.11 Number of fifty-plus scores in just 24 innings by Eoin Morgan while leading England in ODIs – the second most by any batsman in his first 24 ODI innings as England’s captain. Alastair Cook had 12 fifty-plus scores – four hundreds and eight fifties – in his first 24. Morgan has made 1085 runs at an average of 49.31 as England’s ODI captain.3 Fifty-plus stands by England’s ninth wicket in ODIs before the one between Morgan and Liam Plunkett in this match. The last such stand came in 2005, against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, when Kabir Ali and Ian Blackwell added 50 runs. The highest ninth-wicket stand and the only century partnership for that wicket for England also involved Plunkett, when he added exactly 100 runs along with Vikram Solanki against Pakistan in Lahore in 2005.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from the fifth one-day international between New Zealand and West Indies

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jan-2014Catch of the dayMichael Morton probably owes Kieran Powell a drink. He can certainly afford it. He was the supporter who clung onto Powell’s six off Mitchell McClenaghan and earned himself NZ$100,000 courtesy of the sponsors, Tui. It is a contest running throughout all the limited-overs matches in New Zealand this season and Morton is the first to be successful, although the fans at Queenstown had plenty of chances and almost ended up trampling each other trying to get to one of Corey Anderson or Jesse Ryder’s sixes. This time, Morton jostled a little for position but then stuck out his hand and held on coolly. Does he play cricket? “Not anymore,” he said, “but maybe I should.”Missed review of the dayPowell was racing along during the opening Powerplay, laying an ideal foundation for West Indies, and was closing in on an eye-catching hundred when he went to sweep Nathan McCullum. He was taken on the boot and the umpire quickly raised the finger. Powell did not hesitate to leave the crease, but when he returned to the dressing room will have wished he’d used the DRS as the ball was missing leg stump.Inside edge of the dayIt wasn’t the most authoritative of the strokes Kirk Edwards played, but it meant the world to him. Facing Anderson, he aimed to whip a full delivery through the leg side and it came off an inside edge to whistle past leg stump to take him to a hundred – the first time he had even passed fifty in his ODI career. During the celebrations he dropped his bat and was left holding both arms aloft; a rare moment of joy for a West Indies top-order batsman on the tour.Ball of the dayIn the absence of Ravi Rampaul and with Tino Best having been dropped, Dwayne Bravo gave himself the new ball and managed something many of the West Indies bowlers have struggled on this tour: good line and length. It brought an early reward, too, when he nipped a delivery back between Martin Guptill’s bat and pad to take off stump. You can pick apart a batsman’s technique all day, but it was an excellent delivery on a flat pitch.