The door is not quite shut on the recalcitrant, but gifted, lefthand batsman for the ODI jamboree in New Zealand and Australia. However it's only fractionally ajar.
While Doug Bracewell, Ryder's partner in late-night shenanigans last summer, won a recall to the New Zealand A side for the just-completed tour to Britain, there's no sign of similar treatment for Ryder.
"We've made clear our expectations and he's well aware of them," New Zealand coach Mike Hesson said yesterday of Ryder.
Of the pair, banished from the national squad after an early-morning drinking session hours before the start of the first test against India in Auckland last February, Hesson said: "One players has run with it and made significant changes. The other less so."
Strictly speaking, Ryder, 30, is New Zealand's encumbent ODI opener, courtesy of his role during the Indian tour - although he had a poor return there, 94 runs from five innings.
He has spent the New Zealand winter playing for Essex. In six one-day innings, Ryder has hit a team high 369 runs at 92.25. No argument that he's a destructive top order slugger, but there are other issues where Hesson and senior team officials want to see improvements. His 48 ODIs have produced an average of 33, three centuries and folk-hero status. His followers look likely to be disappointed when the final squad of 15 is named on January 8.
"We haven't confirmed our whole squad yet, but players we will select would have to be seen to be putting the team first," Hesson said.
Hesson indicated yesterday about 10 or 11 spots out of the 15 players to be named for the cup have been pencilled in.
A large group of players are heading to Melbourne for a camp early next month before a slew of games against associate nations and South Africa later in the month will signal the start of an intensive buildup to the cup.
- By David Leggat of the New Zealand Herald
