RPT-UPDATE 3-Cricket-NZ's Ryder in critical condition with head injuries

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* Batsman injured near Christchurch bar

* Rushed to hospital, being treated in intensive care

* Police call for witnesses to come forward

By Greg Stutchbury

WELLINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is in an induced coma at a Christchurch hospital after suffering serious head injuries in an altercation outside a local bar, police said on Thursday.

New Zealand Police said Ryder, 28, had been rushed to Christchurch Hospital after suffering the injuries early on Thursday morning and remained there in a critical condition.

"It appears that Jesse has been the victim of a serious assault and suffered head injuries as a result," Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer told a nationally televised news conference.

"Jesse was taken to hospital where he remains in intensive care in a critical condition in an induced coma after suffering multiple injuries."

Local media reports said Ryder had suffered a fractured skull and a collapsed lung. Archer would not confirm if the injuries were life-threatening.

Ryder, who had been drinking at the bar with team mates from Wellington, had been involved in two incidents, the first outside a bar with three other people.

Two of the three then followed him across the road to a nearby fast food restaurant, where one of them apparently assaulted the cricketer, Archer said. It was unclear whether the assault had been provoked.

Police were examining closed-circuit video footage.

"At this stage we have not identified the people involved in the incident but are following positive lines of inquiry," he added.

"We are asking for witnesses to come forward and to speak to us about it."

Ryder, one of the most gifted batsmen in New Zealand, was in Christchurch playing for Wellington against Canterbury in the semi-final of the domestic one-day competition on Wednesday.

'DEMONS'

He had been in a self-imposed exile from international cricket after a series of alcohol-related incidents, however.

Despite having publicly sworn off alcohol, Ryder had begun drinking again in recent weeks, New Zealand Cricket Players' Association chief executive Heath Mills told reporters.

"We have been dealing with Jesse for 10 years and there have been numerous issues documented in that time," Mills said.

"Jesse has been fighting some demons over the last few years and he has struggled with them. It will be an ongoing struggle for him but we are doing all that we can to help him.

"It shouldn't be a surprise in the future if we have to deal with isolated issues."

In 2008, Ryder needed stitches in his hand after he punched a window in a Christchurch bar, an injury that kept him out of the game for several months.

He has also been in trouble for turning up to training still affected after a heavy drinking session and was reprimanded by governing body New Zealand Cricket last year after he and fellow New Zealand international Doug Bracewell were involved in a verbal altercation with bar patrons in Napier.

Following the Napier incident, Ryder voluntarily stood down from international selection to address his issues with alcohol.

"There are some alcohol protocols around the (Wellington) team but my understanding was that those protocols were being met so from that point of view the organisation does not have any direct concerns," Wellington chief executive Peter Clinton told reporters.

"Our primary focus is his welfare. We remain very concerned and hope that he will recover."

Archer said he did not think that alcohol was a "contributing factor" in the altercation on Thursday.

Ryder had been expected to travel to India for the lucrative Twenty20 tournament with the Delhi Daredevils on Friday.

He was not expected to return to international cricket until New Zealand's tour of England in May-June, following their 0-0 draw in the recently completed home series.

An aggressive batsman with a superb eye and delicate touch, Ryder has made 1,269 runs in 18 tests at an average of 40.93 with a highest score of 201 and 1,100 runs in 39 one-day internationals at 34.37. (Editing by Ian Ransom)

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UPDATE 3-Cricket-NZ's Ryder in critical condition with head injuries

* Batsman involved in fight near Christchurch bar

* Rushed to hospital, being treated in intensive care

* Police call for witnesses to come forward (Adds police statement, details)

WELLINGTON, March 28 (Reuters) - New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is in hospital with serious head injuries after being involved in a fight in Christchurch.

A Christchurch Hospital spokesperson told local media that Ryder was in intensive care with a fractured skull. Calls to the hospital were not immediately returned.

New Zealand Police said they were investigating an incident at a bar in Merivale, a suburb of Christchurch, early on Thursday and that Ryder had been involved.

Ryder, 28, had left the bar with a group of people when he became involved in the incident, police said in a statement.

Police were called at 12:44 a.m. local time (1144 GMT) and Ryder was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

"We are piecing together what took place and speaking to witnesses to understand how this incident unfolded," Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer said in the statement.

"I would ask anyone who witnessed the incident or were part of the group involved with Mr Ryder to contact police."

Ryder was in Christchurch playing for Wellington against Canterbury in the semi-final of New Zealand's domestic one-day competition on Wednesday.

An eye witness told New Zealand's Fairfax Media that the cricketer had been punched and kicked by at least four men.

"We are all shocked by what has occurred and extremely concerned for Jesse," New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said in a statement. "New Zealand Cricket's thoughts are with him and his family."

Ryder's manager Aaron Klee, Cricket Wellington chief executive Peter Clinton and New Zealand Cricket Players' Association head Heath Mills were all travelling to Christchurch, NZC said.

Radio New Zealand reported on its website (www.radionz.co.nz) that Ryder was in a coma and had a collapsed lung, without naming sources.

The bar's manager said Ryder had been at the venue with his Wellington team mates, the report added.

Wellington Cricket CEO Peter Clinton declined to comment on the incident or Ryder's condition when contacted by phone by Reuters, but said police and cricket officials would hold a media conference later on Thursday.

Klee did not immediately return calls, but he wrote on his Twitter page: "thanks for the calls and msgs of support for Jesse. Just heading to Chch to see him".

ALCOHOL INCIDENTS

Ryder, one of the most gifted batsmen in New Zealand, has been in a self-imposed exile from international cricket after a series of alcohol-related incidents.

In 2008, he needed stitches in his hand after he punched a window in a Christchurch bar, an injury that kept him out of the game for several months.

He has also been in trouble several times for other incidents, one of which involved him turning up to training still affected after a heavy drinking session.

Ryder was reprimanded by NZC last year after he and fellow New Zealand international Doug Bracewell were involved in a verbal altercation with bar patrons in Napier.

Both had missed a match while injured and breached team protocols about abstaining from alcohol.

Ryder has voluntarily stood down from international selection since as he sought to address his issues with alcohol.

He had been expected to travel to India for the lucrative Twenty20 tournament with the Pune Warriors on Friday, but was not expected to return to international cricket on New Zealand's tour of England in May-June.

New Zealand was within one wicket of beating England in their test series that ended in Auckland on Tuesday, with the visitors finishing the match at 315 for nine, chasing 481 for victory. The series ended 0-0.

An aggressive batsmen with a superb eye and delicate touch, Ryder has made 1,269 runs in 18 tests at an average of 40.93 with a highest score of 201 and 1,100 runs in 39 one-day internationals at 34.37.

(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington and Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Ed Osmond/Greg Stutchbury)

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UPDATE 3-Cricket-NZ's Fulton hits maiden ton as England thwarted

(Updates at tea)

By Greg Stutchbury

AUCKLAND, March 22 (Reuters) - Peter Fulton and Kane Williamson continued to build a solid foundation for New Zealand in the third and final test against England as they guided the hosts to 173 for one at tea on the first day at Eden Park on Friday.

Fulton was in sight of his first test century on 95 not out, having already passed his highest test score, while Williamson was on 39, having resumed on nought when he came to the wicket shortly before lunch.

Williamson had replaced Hamish Rutherford, who was dismissed for 37 when he wafted at a wide Steven Finn delivery and nicked the ball to Alastair Cook at first slip.

England captain Cook won his first toss of the test series and chose to bowl on a drop-in pitch that showed green tinges and promised more bounce than the wickets in Dunedin and Wellington.

Cook's fast-bowling trio of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Finn produced some anxious moments for Fulton and Rutherford in the morning session but once the sun emerged and flattened out the pitch, New Zealand were barely troubled.

England were also culpable for bowling a little too straight, and Fulton exploited that to the fullest, whipping the ball off middle and leg through the leg side for 74 of his runs.

The 34-year-old Fulton was particularly aggressive against left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, who bowled too short and allowed the tall righthander to rock back and belt him to the fence four times and over it twice.

Fulton's previous best test score was 75 against West Indies in 2006 and prior to the first match in Dunedin had not played a test since 2009.

He remade himself as an opener in the interim period and was recalled on the back of a strong first class season.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen was ruled out of the match on Wednesday with a knee injury that had bothered him before the first test, allowing Jonny Bairstow to come in at number six and Ian Bell and Joe Root to move up a spot in the order.

New Zealand named an unchanged side for the third consecutive test, however, meaning no place for pace bowler Doug Bracewell who had recovered from a cut foot sustained when clearing up after a house party.

The first two tests in Dunedin and Wellington were plagued by rain and ended in draws.

(Editing by Ian Ransom)

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