Editorial: Get well very soon, Jesse

Sickening and cowardly are the only ways to describe what has happened to Black Caps batsman Jesse Ryder.

It's understood two men bashed Ryder outside a Christchurch bar on Wednesday night, fracturing his skull and puncturing his lung.

A talented cricketer, Ryder's career has been checkered with off-field incidents with alcohol a major contributor, which meant the 28-year-old was in the glare of the media for all the wrong reasons.

Ryder's last off-field episode, in a Napier bar last year, involved him breaking team protocols on drinking alcohol while recovering from an injury.

Ryder became embroiled in a shouting match with two businessmen in a bar after an ODI match against South Africa.

I was critical of the sportsman, saying he shouldn't have got himself into this type of situation.

The story went global and it seemed Ryder's international cricketing career may have come to an end.

However, Ryder appeared to turn his life around after a self-imposed exile from alcohol and international cricket.

The talented batsman even jumped into the boxing ring for Fight for Life.

I got to meet Ryder after his bout.

We talked for a while and I guess I got a small glimpse into his world.

During those few minutes we talked, people came up to him - some were good-natured, others felt it was their right to harass him.

He either shook the person's hand or ignored the jibe.

In this latest incident, my thoughts go out to Ryder, his family and friends.

I wish him a speedy recovery and hope we get to see his talent back on the cricket pitch.