Bad boy Jesse Ryder in critical condition with a fractured skull

New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder is reported to be in coma after being brutally assaulted by some unidentified persons on Thursday night. Ryder was admitted to Christchurch Hospital in the wee hours today having suffered multiple injuries including a fractured skull.

Bad boy Jesse Ryder in critical condition with a fractured skull 

According to details; the 28-year-old Ryder was involved in a brawl with up to three persons outside Aikmans bar in the suburb of Christchurch shortly after 12.30am local time. He was then battered by one of the group who followed him towards the car park of a nearby McDonald's.

"The hospital advise that Jesse is in a critical condition," Detective Senior Sergeant Brian Archer said. "He is in an induced coma as a result of suffering multiple injuries.

"It was an initial incident involving at least two to three people. As Jesse has gone towards the car park at McDonald's he's been followed by two of the three people, we believe, and one of those two has assaulted Jesse."

A witness to the assaults told New Zealand's One News that she could hear the impact of the blows from inside the bar.

"As soon as the fight started there were probably four or five guys that ran out to pull them off him and hold them back while he stumbled off over the road," the witness said.

He is also suffering from a punctured lung and internal bleeding while being treated in intensive care at a Christchurch hospital.

The tragic incident happened just days before the talented Ryder, a hard-hitting batsman who has played 18 Tests, 39 ODI’s and 20 Twenty20’s was to take up a lucrative Indian Premier League contract and due to fly to India to join Delhi Daredevils.

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South Africa Vs. Pakistan (Live Streaming/Updates): Spirited Pakistan vows to give tough time to hosts

Spirited Pakistan is ready to take on Proteas in the first of 5-match ODI series today at Chevrolet Park on a high note after winning the Twenty20 series convincingly under the captaincy of Muhammad Hafeez.

South Africa Vs. Pakistan (Live Streaming): Spirited Pakistan vows to give tough time to hosts

The ODI series is equally important for Pakistan and South Africa to improve their ranking in 50-over version of the game. Right now the Proteas have slipped to fourth place in the rankings, while Pakistan are sixth on a tightly-bunched table.

Since Gary Kirsten took over as South African coach in June 2011 their Test team has stood high persistently to the top of the International Cricket Council rankings. The performances of the one-day side, though, have been patchy a bit. Therefore, Proteas will not let the chance go to better their position after this series and they can earn a top spot if they managed to clean-sweep the series.

Gary Kirsten, the present coach of South Africa, said his team could play as many as 20 One-Day Internationals (ODI) before their next Test series, against Pakistan in the UAE in October and November.

“It’s nice to have an extended period of ODIs,” he said. “This is an important period for the ODI team.”

Of immediate concern for South Africa is the ICC Champions Trophy in England in June, the team's next major engagement after the Pakistan series.

The country's consistent failure to win big tournaments is one of the issues that Kirsten has pledged to address.

Although South Africa have a less than stellar one-day record of 10 wins and eight losses under Kirsten, the coach is not over-concerned because the international schedule has dictated an emphasis on five-day cricket.

"We have had a lot of Test cricket," he said.

Nor was he concerned about a lop-sided 95-run defeat in a Twenty20 international at Centurion last Sunday, which he dismissed as a "one-off" game, irrelevant to the one-day challenge.

South Africa were beaten 2-1 at home by New Zealand in their most recent one-day series after winning both Tests against the Black Caps by an innings.

Pakistan shape up as a bigger threat with players such as Shoaib Malik, Shahid Afridi and the Akmal brothers, Kamran and Umar -- all of whom missed their side's recent 3-0 Test series defeat -- adding experience and skill to the squad.

The Pakistanis seem to have most of their bases covered, with a mix of quick-scoring batsmen and a well-balanced bowling attack, while the fielding in the Twenty20 match was of a high standard.

South Africa, though, are likely to be a more organised team than that which lost to New Zealand -- and a great deal stronger than the T20 side -- with stars such as Hashim Amla, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Test captain Graeme Smith returning to the squad.

Steyn will be rested for the first match, though, and Morkel is doubtful because of a hamstring injury.

Leading all-rounder Jacques Kallis will not be in action as he is being rested as part of a programme to extend the career of the 37-year-old.

Probable squads:

Pakistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Nasir Jamshed, Asad Shafiq, Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal (wkt), Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi, Saeed Ajmal, Mohammad Irfan, Junaid Khan, Wahab Riaz, Umar Gul, Imran Farhat, Abdur Rehman.

South Africa: AB de Villiers (captain/wkt), Kyle Abbott, Hashim Amla, Farhaan Behardien, Faf du Plessis, Colin Ingram, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Robin Peterson, Aaron Phangiso, Graeme Smith, Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe.

For live score updates: espncricinfo

For live streaming: extracover

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