NZ's Jesse Ryder in hospital with severe injuries
Ryder is in hospital with serious head injuries after being involved in a fight in Christchurch.
CHRISTCHURCH (AP) - New Zealand cricketer Jesse Ryder is in a critical condition in Christchurch Hospital after suffering severe head injuries in a late night assault outside a bar.
Radio New Zealand reported Wednesday that Ryder was in a coma in the intensive care unit with a fractured skull, punctured lung and internal bleeding.
The hospital refused to confirm Ryder s injuries but said his condition was listed as critical. A spokesman for the ambulance service that transported Ryder to hospital said he had suffered "very serious head injuries"
Eye witnesses said Ryder was attacked by four men outside a bar in the Christchurch suburb of Merivale. He was punched and then kicked repeatedly while lying on the ground.
Ryder had been at the bar with teammates from the Wellington cricket team, which had played in the semifinals of New Zealand s domestic one-day competition in Christchurch earlier Wednesday.
He had been due to leave New Zealand on Friday to play Twenty20 cricket in the Indian Premier League.
Ryder s manager, Aaron Klee, declined to divulge details of Ryder s condition but said he was flying to Christchurch to be with the player. Members of Ryder s family, officials of New Zealand Cricket and the head of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association were also due to travel to the southern island city.
Police confirmed they are investigating an assault and said further details would be released later Thursday.
Ryder last played for New Zealand in a one-day international against South Africa in February, 2012. He was reprimanded after that match for breaking team rules by drinking alcohol while recovering from injury.
Ryder then made himself unavailable for New Zealand selection, turning down a national contract to deal with alcohol and fitness issues. He engaged a clinical psychologist to assist him in dealing with those problems.
The left-handed batsman remains unavailable for international cricket but returned to domestic cricket and played in the IPL last season for Pune.
