Troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder resumed his cricket career Monday, targeting a return to the Black Caps after a tumultuous year that included a drugs ban and a near-fatal beating.
|Last Updated: Oct 21, 2013, 09:38 AM IST|Source: AFP
Wellington: Troubled New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder resumed his cricket career Monday, targeting a return to the Black Caps after a tumultuous year that included a drugs ban and a near-fatal beating.
Ryder linked up with his new domestic team the Otago Volts for the first time after serving a six-month ban for testing positive to banned substances contained in a weight-loss supplement.
He aims to play in the Volts` season opener against his former team Wellington Firebirds next weekend, with the longer-term aim of returning to the New Zealand side for upcoming home series against the West Indies and India.
"My main goal is to push for the Black Caps again," Ryder told Fairfax Media. "All going well, I`d like to push for the West Indies tour.
"But, definitely, the main aim is to try and earn a call-up in time for that Indian tour if they don`t pick me for the West Indies tour."
The West Indies play three Tests in New Zealand from December 3 with the Black Caps hosting India in January-February.
Ryder is one of New Zealand`s best batting talents, averaging 40.93 in 18 Tests, but his career has been marred by disciplinary lapses, off-field problems and struggles with his fitness.
The 29-year-old went into self-imposed exile from international cricket in February 2012, saying he needed to sort out his personal issues.
He appeared to be making progress and was set to take up a lucrative Indian Premier League contract in March before he was assaulted outside a bar in the South Island city of Christchurch.
Ryder, who witnesses said did nothing to provoke the attack, was put into an induced coma with a fractured skull and said he was fortunate to be alive.
"We`ve all heard the stories of guys hitting their heads and dying after being punched and falling to the ground," he told Fairfax. "I look back and think I am lucky not to be dead."
Then the doping ban extended his time away from the game, forcing him to train by himself as his new teammates at the Volts prepared for the upcoming season.
The New Zealand Sports Tribunal accepted Ryder was trying to lose weight, not enhance his performance, when he took the over-the-counter supplement, but imposed a ban after finding he should have been more cautious.
Ryder said he felt in good shape, even if there were still some complications linked to the assault.
"The body`s pretty good," he said.
"I`m still suffering a little with the head, you know, just some light-headedness. But that`s slowly getting better. I`ve been training hard and everything`s coming along really well."
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.