http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/cricket/8483461/Ryder-critical-in-hospital-after-bashing

Ryder in intensive care after bashing
BLAIR ENSOR
Last updated 09:35 28/03/2013


New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder tried to fight back as four men "absolutely smashed him" in a Christchurch bar last night, a witness says.

Ryder is understood to be in intensive care at Christchurch Hospital with a fractured skull.

An eye witness, who only wanted to be known as Adam, said Ryder had his shirt ripped off his back and was on the ground as four men kicked and punched him outside Aikmans Bar in Merivale.

Ryder was lying in a bush "shaking, vomiting and covered in blood" in the car park of Merivale McDonald's, which is opposite the bar, when two ambulances arrived to assist him shortly after midnight.

Adam, who was drinking at the bar, said the brawl broke out behind him.

"From what I could tell it looked pretty unprovoked," he said.

Four caucasian men, believed to be in their lates 20s, started punching Ryder in the bar's outdoor courtyard and the fight was quickly pushed out on to Aikmans Rd, Adam said.

"Four dudes were just laying into him and absolutely smashing him on the ground. His shirt was ripped off and they were kicking him and punching him while he was down."

Ryder managed to stand up during the attack but was quickly knocked back to the ground, Adam said.

He was not sure if the men were friends of Ryder, but said they "damn knew who he was".

Ryder's attackers were swearing at him as they beat him.

The four men ran off when police sirens were heard, he said.



Ryder was due to fly out tomorrow to start his $300,000 contract in the Indian Premier League. Yesterday, Ryder was dismissed for a first-ball duck when his team the Wellington Firebirds faced Canterbury Wizards.

Ryder, 28, is in a self-imposed exile from international cricket, resisting calls to return to the Black Caps scene. He hasn't played for New Zealand since February last year.

Black Cap star Ross Taylor tweeted his support this morning, saying he was thinking of Ryder, while a tweet from the Black Caps' team account echoed that thought.

Ryder's manager Aaron Klee tweeted: "Thanks for the calls and msgs of support for Jesse. Just heading to Chch to see him."

Former England captain Michael Vaughan tweeted that it was "devastating news" and he hoped Ryder would pull through.

THE PAST

His career has been blighted by off-field incidents, usually involving alcohol, though he appeared to be in a stable mindset this summer where he played consistently well for the Firebirds.

Last year, he and team-mate Doug Bracewell were reprimanded by Black Caps team management for "unacceptable behaviour" after the pair "verbally reacted to taunts from a member of the public" outside a Napier bar.

Ryder has been dropped from the Black Caps side multiple times, and in 2010 revealed his own troubled history with alcohol.

"Dad bounced when I was about 14; he just took off man. He just dropped me off at a mate's one day and said he'd see me in a week. He never came back," Ryder said in an interview.

"That's probably where that rebel streak and badness comes from. I just didn't have any boundaries once he left.

"I guess I could be classed as a bad boy and it's true, I did like going out on the p**s. It wasn't so much fighting, more so just getting on the beers with the boys."

He said he had a real habit of binge drinking.

"I would be with my boys and we'd do drinking games. It was like 'bang' and I would be sculling drinks throughout the night which probably caused most of my problems."

although it is now known whether ryder started it or not, i suspect he isn't exactly innocent. he should have stayed away from booze. it has ruined him. i hope he recovers soon. he may never play competitive cricket again, though.

Captain Bhankas wrote:although it is now known whether ryder started it or not, i suspect he isn't exactly innocent. he should have stayed away from booze. it has ruined him. i hope he recovers soon. he may never play competitive cricket again, though.

bhankaskar, your sympathy for this out-of-control boozer is touching.

Jeremiah Mburuburu wrote:

Captain Bhankas wrote:although it is now known whether ryder started it or not, i suspect he isn't exactly innocent. he should have stayed away from booze. it has ruined him. i hope he recovers soon. he may never play competitive cricket again, though.

bhankaskar, your sympathy for this out-of-control boozer is touching.

kuruvilla, look what your post did to my irrelevance meter.

ROFL!!

Captain Bhankas wrote:although it is now known whether ryder started it or not, i suspect he isn't exactly innocent. he should have stayed away from booze. it has ruined him. i hope he recovers soon. he may never play competitive cricket again, though.

looks that way. what happens to his IPL contract?

doofus_maximus wrote: looks that way. what happens to his IPL contract?

methinks his career is over.