Sorry, it wasn't 'a Wellington official' who said Ryder wouldn't play this season, it was just 'a cricket figure'.
From e-city.co.nz (using my card)....
THE DOMINION POST, 2 JUL 2004, Edition 2, Page 12.
RYDER ON THE STORM
By: MILLMOW Jonathan
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Jesse Ryder is talented cricketer keen to put troubles of the past behind him. Jonathan Millmow talks to the new Wellington Firebirds recruit about making a fresh start in the capital.
IF Jesse Ryder proves as hard to dislodge at the crease as he is interview then Wellington are in for a profitable summer. The most talked about young cricketer since Daniel Vettori swept on to the first-class scene as a 17 year-old in 1996, is on the move. And its not because big, fat chequebooks are being waved in his face.
The swashbuckling left-hand batsman desperately needs a fresh start. The mere fact that a 19-year-old needs that after just eight games for Central Districts is a sign in itself that all is not well.
And it's not. There is an unanimous feeling at Central that Ryder is close to self-destructing due to his off-field activities, essentially his battle with the demon drink.
Such is the sensitivity of the subject that no one at Central wishes to speak publicly of Ryder's plight, but turn off the tape and stories are disturbing.
Central feel they have done everything within their power to help, none more so than former coach Mark Greatbatch, who even went as far as arranging Ryder a job as a farm hand.
Ryder was also enrolled into a course at Brendon Bracewell's sports education facility in Masterton but his attendance rate in recent times has been poor.
A trip across to Greytown this week to learn more about the teenage batting sensation, who everyone describes as a "nice kid", is a fruitless exercise.
Ryder is not in a mood to talk. Friendly and polite, yes, but there is not going to be any admission that he had ever gone off the rails.
"There was only really one incident in Hawke's Bay, but that got pretty much blown out of proportion," he said.
On that occasion Ryder missed a team curfew of 11.30pm during a Chapple Cup match for Hawke's Bay.
But that incident isn't as isolated as Ryder makes it sound. As one coach said this week: "I could write a book about Jesse."
Ryder managed only two firstclass matches for Central last season before being dropped "on form", despite scoring a 49 in his last innings.
He claims an inflamed shoulder was more the reason.
He also defends his poor attendance rate at Bracewell's facility, saying there had been a lot on his plate recently with approaches from Wellington, Canterbury and his relatively long-time link to Central.
Ryder sparks up slightly when the subject switches to playing in a new environment that might, on occasions, feature New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming.
"I want to start a new life down there. VJ (Wellington coach Vaughn Johnson) said he'll give me a new start. He doesn't care what's happened in the past and that's good, so I need to take my chance," Ryder says.
"I made a few mistakes here and there last season but that's in the past now."
Johnson said this week that Ryder had no conditions attached to his contract with Wellington, but it goes without saying that the forthright coach will have given him the message.
One cricket figure went as far this week as suggesting - off the record - that Ryder would not even appear in Wellington colours this season.
That sort of talk might just be what Ryder needs, because there is a sense of hurt at his reputation being sullied.
"I've got a few people to prove wrong," Ryder says.
He won't say who, and won't say where they're from.
"All around the country," he adds after persistent pressing.
Central chief executive Blair Furlong is one who will be quoted, to a point.
"We are delighted Jesse is going to keep playing cricket and disappointed he is leaving CD, but we wish him well," Furlong said.
"He has some issues to confront and hopefully Erv (McSweeney, Wellington's chief executive) and VJ can achieve something we could not."
Furlong declined to elaborate any further. New Zealand Academy coach Dayle Hadlee will only talk about Ryder's cricketing ability.
Ryder was in the 2002 intake and during that time he produced one of the innings that Hadlee rates up with anything he's seen.
Ryder scored 181 against an Australian Academy side in Australia that Hadlee said was full of young first-class players.
"He played seriously well that day and he batted six hours, which was quite something for such a destructive player.
"I rate him as one of the three best players I've seen through here in terms of being unorthodox and exciting. The other two are Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor.
"He can play off both feet, if you bowl short he will kill you and if you pitch it up he will look to hit you down the ground.
I saw Jesse score a first-class 100 against Canterbury as a 17 or just 18- year-old and you just had to marvel at the talent, enthusiasm and ambition he had that day.
"At the under-19 World Cup in Christchurch he pulverised the Australians - both their opening bowlerswere off after four overs. He is also a fine slips fieldsman and a very good medium pace bowler.
"Put it this way, in two World Cup's time if Jesse, Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor are together anything could happen."
It goes without saying that Johnson is now the man with whom Ryder's cricket career rests. It is a huge responsibility and for it to work Johnson needs Ryder to keep his side of the deal.
