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Jesse Ryder in induced coma after being assaulted
Thursday 28th March 2013

Jesse Ryder, the New Zealand and former New Brighton batsman, is in an induced coma in hospital after being assaulted twice late on Wednesday evening in Christchurch. Ryder, 28, is in intensive care after suffering a fractured skull, which Christchurch Police believes happened in the second of the two attacks.

The first took place about 12:30am outside the Aikman's Bar in a Christchurch suburb Merivale, where Ryder had been out with team mates and friends following Wellington's loss to Canterbury. The second occurred minutes later at the entrance to the car park of a McDonald's across the road, where other Wellington players had gone to order food.

"An altercation has taken place on the footpath outside Aikman's involving Jesse and a group of at least two other males. The altercation was brief," Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer told reporters in Christchurch. "Following that incident, Ryder and two other persons walked across the road towards McDonald's, where his Wellington team mates had been purchasing some food. A second altercation has taken place at the entrance to the McDonald's car park, involving one of the males from the earlier group.

"In that incident it appears Jesse has been the victim of a serious assault and has suffered head injuries as a result. Ambulance and police were called about at 12:44am. Jesse was taken to hospital where he remains in intensive care.

"The hospital advise that Jesse is in a critical condition, he is in an induced coma as a result of suffering multiple injuries. He is still being assessed for a number of injuries and we are not prepared to discuss that any further."

Archer said that while police had "positive lines of inquiry", they had not yet identified Ryder's attackers. CCTV footage from Aikman's and McDonald's is being reviewed, he said. "We believe at least 10 or more people have witnessed some of the events, and we've been speaking to witnesses throughout the day," he said. "There are CCTV cameras in the area and we're going through the process of downloading and reviewing that footage.

"At the moment we have not identified the people involved in the incident, but we do have positive lines of inquiry, and we will be focusing on identifying and finding those people, and speaking to them.

"Although the Wellington players had been at a licensed premises during the evening, at this stage there is no evidence that alcohol was a contributing factor to the assault. We are asking any witnesses to contact police and calling for people involved to come forward and speak to us about it."

Ryder, who has played 18 Tests for New Zealand before going into a self imposed exile from international cricket for the last year, was due to join the Delhi Daredevils later this week, ahead of the start of the IPL season in early April. In January, he ruled out a return for New Zealand, despite his impressive domestic form.

Before embarking on his sabbatical from international cricket last year, Ryder was dropped from New Zealand's ODI side after breaking team protocols concerning alcohol. In 2008, again in Christchurch, he injured his hand when putting it through a glass window after a drinking session.

Peter Clinton, the Wellington Cricket chief executive, said that Ryder was not in breach of his contract by being at the bar, and also that no team rules had been breached over the course of the night.

"It was not a violation of his contract, no," he said. "There are some alcohol protocols around the team, as there are with other sports. My understanding of the events as described by the police was that those protocols were met last evening, so from that point of view we don't have any direct concerns that Jesse was with his team mates last night."

Heath Mills, CEO of the New Zealand Players Association, said that numerous cricketers around the country were in shock at the news of the assault, and Ryder's serious condition.

"Obviously the cricket community's very shocked at what's happened to Jesse. He's obviously in a serious condition," he said. "It's a sad day for us, a number of players around the country are in shock, our focus now is on Jesse and his well-being.

David White, the New Zealand Cricket chief executive, expressed his own sorrow at events via a statement: "We are all shocked by what has occurred and extremely concerned for Jesse. New Zealand Cricket's thoughts are with him and his family."

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor added: "Thinking of you mate [Jesse] Ryder." Ryder's manager, Aaron Klee, wrote on his Twitter page: "Thanks for the calls and msgs of support for Jesse. Just heading to [Christchurch] to see him."

Jesse Ryder played for Liverpool Competition side New Brighton in 2007, scoring 1047 runs at an average of 49.85 and taking 79 wickets at 11.32.

Friends and former colleagues in the Liverpool Competition wish him a speedy recovery.

see also:

Ryder out of induced coma and on road to recovery