By Greg Stutchbury
WELLINGTON, March 2 (Reuters) – New Zealand batsman
Jesse Ryder has retained his New Zealand Cricket contract
despite his latest off-field indiscretions which have led to a
one-match international ban.
Ryder and bowling all-rounder Doug Bracewell were both
suspended for the final one-day match against South Africa in
Auckland on Saturday after they breached team protocols by
drinking while recovering from injury following their loss in
the second one-day match in Napier.
On Friday, team manager Mike Sandle said Ryder, 27, who had
been on a final warning after a series of alcohol-related
incidents, had breached an internal team protocol but not the
players’ code of conduct.
“We are really disappointed as a team that they were out
there drinking alcohol and compromising their position and their
preparation for the next game,” Sandle told reporters in
Auckland.
“It was internal team protocols that were breached and not a
code of conduct (breach) and it has been dealt with in that
manner.
“The previous breaches were code of conduct issues and this
is simply a team-enforced drinking protocol.”
Sandle said Ryder, Bracewell and leg-spinner Tarun Nethula
had been in the bar for a “few hours” but the incident “had not
been an all nighter”.
He said Ryder would not be considered for the first test
against South Africa in Dunedin, although that was because of
form issues and would be discussed when the test squad was named
later on Friday.
Continued…
