Click photo to enlarge
New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has been quarantined from
his teammates and placed on an intravenous drip as his first
cricket test preparations are thrown into chaos by a mystery
bug.
Ryder remained at the team's central city hotel this morning
as his teammates began the second day of their tour match
against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker said there were concerns
for Ryder's health as he hadn't kept down any food for nearly
two days.
He was attended to by the doctor on duty at the SCG who said
the illness should be treated as viral and recommended he be
quarantined from his teammates and placed on a drip to
rehydrate.
"He woke up yesterday feeling unwell and being ill. We
quarantined him, basically, took him back to the hotel. He's
not eating so we rehydrated him," Crocker told NZPA.
"He spent the night quietly and he's woken up this morning
not feeling a good deal better which is a little concerning
because we hoped it had run through by now."
Crocker said Ryder was vomiting before and after his
51-minute innings of 16 yesterday and was seen by the doctor
soon afterwards.
Allrounder Grant Elliott took the field in Ryder's place this
morning.
Of more concern is that other New Zealand players had
reported upset stomachs today, although not enough to
sideline them.
"There's a bit of diarrhoea amongst the group but no one's
reported in sick beyond that. We're keeping careful watch in
case it's something that spreads."
Crocker said Ryder's illness didn't yet place him in doubt
for Thursday's first test against Australia in Brisbane but
there would be major worries if the symptoms continued
through the weekend. It could also rob him of an important
second innings here in the final lead-in to the two-test
series.
"It's run for a day-and-a-half now and he was vomiting again
this morning. That's the concern. That time away from eating
means he's starting to lose a bit of condition. It's not
alarming yet but we want to get him right quickly."
New Zealand aren't the only ones with illness concerns, less
than a week out from the first test.
Australia's vice-captain Michael Clarke was rated doubtful by
chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch yesterday.
He has reportedly lost 6kg and has constricted breathing
after contracting an illness during the fourth test against
India in Nagpur.
He has undergone blood tests to identify the illness, and it
is hoped he will recover in time for the test at the Gabba.
Paceman Brett Lee is also recovering from illness which saw
him shed weight in India.
