KEY POINTS:
New Zealand coach Andy Moles said yesterday no consideration was given to leaving Jesse Ryder out of tomorrow's fifth and deciding ODI against the West Indies in Napier.
And Ryder is straight back in at the top of the batting order after his one-match axing and fine after
his late night out in Wellington following last week's seven-wicket win over the West Indies.
That seems fine with Martin Guptill, who made a stellar start to his international career by thumping an unbeaten 122 opening at Eden Park on Saturday but drops to No 3 for Napier.
Guptill is relaxed about where he bats. That's just as well, as ordinarily moving a century-maker away from the role in which he made those runs might raise more than a few eyebrows.
Of Ryder's excessive drinking while on national team duty, Moles said the batsman "assures us it's [a] thing of [the] past and we've got to move on with that in mind".
"We've plans in place to help Jesse with the problem he's got," he said.
"My primary plan is to help him with his cricket, and round that we'll look after him as a human being and put plans in place to help him."
Moles sees no reason why Guptill can't bat the same way he did at Eden Park at No 3 and believes the trio of Brendon McCullum, Ryder and Guptill appeals as a formidable top three.
The New Zealand team had been disappointed in Ryder's behaviour but were supporting the 24-year-old.
Moles also said New Zealand Cricket was speaking to people beyond the cricket field, but he would not give any details.
"That's only right, it's a private thing between Jesse and his advisers. We are involved with that and have to support him," he said.
Ryder's problem first surfaced publicly last February when he stuck his hand through a toilet window in a Christchurch bar. But alarm bells should be ringing within top New Zealand cricket circles, as both the NZC chief executive and Players Association manager Heath Mills have spoken about fears that this won't be the last time Ryder and drinking are linked in a damaging way.
Reports of Ryder being "dishevelled" in Cairns during the New Zealand A tour to Australia last year, and being seen by members of the public in Wellington bars shortly after returning from the tour to Bangladesh in October, should be concerning both organisations.
"Jesse needs to learn to say no," Mills said at the weekend. "I guess the most disappointing aspect is that he has not used the support offered to him as well as he should have."
He added that "I don't anticipate this will be the last setback of its type that he'll have".
Vaughan said the New Zealand players would get a briefing on how to better relate to a player struggling with alcohol from an expert in the field.
Team protocols may be revisited. Some of the measures to keep Ryder on track were relaxed in the last couple of months, which can now clearly be seen as a mistake.
New Zealand captain Dan Vettori wanted Ryder at Eden Park on Saturday, filling 12th man duties, hoping it would help Ryder understand how he had let his team down.
"Hopefully it's a bit of a wake-up call for him and we only get the good side from here on. Personally I think he has to be accountable for his actions. I wanted him around the team, he's an important part of this set-up and the guys really like him."
Ryder won't face a contractual sanction out of his Wellington incident, but the file is building. He is also expected to figure in the Indian Premier League auction on February 6. But will franchise owners risk taking a punt?
