"Jesse's been training for the last week and he's feeling good so I think he'll be training with the squad today," said Jayawardene before the televised match from 7.10pm at McLean Park against last-placed defending champions Wellington Firebirds.
"He'll have a couple of hits to see how he feels [so] fingers crossed he should be able to go," said the former Sri Lanka international who has sparked CD's T20 campaign into life since his arrival two games ago.
Ryder, who carved his promising career in Hawke's Bay as a former Napier Boys' High School pupil, returned to his province of birth, Wairarapa, this summer.
He is a former Firebird and Otago Volts cricketer after leaving CD on acrimonious terms following drinking and disciplinary sessions.
The Stags, who are fifth on 14 points in the six-team lucrative competition, fancy their chances of making the playoffs provided they win tomorrow and against the Canterbury Kings in their final outing on Sunday in Christchurch.
"Obviously from where we were, we needed to change our momentum so that [last win] was quite good.
"We're back into the competition again so that's great, too."
Ideally, the 38-year-old, who has amassed 173 runs from two games as the No9 top scorer, felt CD need perhaps two results to go their way to make that third qualifying position.
"It's something we can't control but even for that to happen we need to win our last two games to get ourselves into that 22 [points] mark [on the table] if we're to be good enough to get that third spot."
Otago Volts are on 20 points at No1 with Northern Districts Knights and Auckland Aces second and third, respectively, on 18 points.
Jayawardene is pleased with the way some of the young Stags batsmen are blossoming in the T20 campaign.
"It's brilliant and there's obviously a lot of talent. Will [Young] is one, [George] Worker and Clarky [Josh Clarkson] is a good prospect for the future although [Tom] Bruce hasn't hit his stride just yet but he looks pretty good."
He felt the CD bowling department looked solid so it all boiled down to finding that consistency coach Heinrich Malan had been drumming into his troops from the pulpit.
Australian-born English import Mitchell Claydon is the sixth-highest wicket taker on nine with Jacob Duffy setting the pace on 14.
"We've managed to do that [find consistency] in the last two games even though we lost the one before that, which was a close one."
With veteran wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk running out the snake lollies in the last round talented opening batsman Worker had assumed the mantle of captaincy and Dane Cleaver kept wickets behind the stumps.
Jayawardene is a former Sri Lanka captain and was conspicuous in his input during huddles in the past few T20 games but yesterday he played down his role.
"I think Georgie looks quite confident and he handled situations quite well.
"Obviously I contribute as much as I can but, at the same time, Georgie, even when Krugs was captain, quite a few times took over as captain.
"I can help them out but captain is the one who's in charge and I think all the boys have responded quite well so, as long as we have that formula, things look quite healthy."
He expects the McLean Park wicket to offer good pace and bounce tomorrow and come to the bat quite well.
"As long as we can go through the processes and execute a good game plan we should be happy."
Jayawardene is enjoying the tournament and CD is a "good place with good lads".
