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SYDNEY - New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has been quarantined from his teammates and placed on an intravenous drip as his first cricket test preparations are thrown into chaos by a mystery bug.
Ryder remained at the team's central city hotel this morning as his teammates began the second day of their tour match against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
New Zealand manager Lindsay Crocker said there were concerns for Ryder's health as he hadn't kept down any food for nearly two days.
He was attended to by the doctor on duty at the SCG who said the illness should be treated as viral and recommended he be quarantined from his teammates and placed on a drip to rehydrate.
"He woke up yesterday feeling unwell and being ill. We quarantined him, basically, took him back to the hotel. He's not eating so we rehydrated him," Crocker told NZPA.
"He spent the night quietly and he's woken up this morning not feeling a good deal better which is a little concerning because we hoped it had run through by now."
Crocker said Ryder was vomiting before and after his 51-minute innings of 16 yesterday and was seen by the doctor soon afterwards.
Allrounder Grant Elliott took the field in Ryder's place this morning.
Of more concern is that other New Zealand players had reported upset stomachs today, although not enough to sideline them.
"There's a bit of diarrhoea amongst the group but no one's reported in sick beyond that. We're keeping careful watch in case it's something that spreads."
Crocker said Ryder's illness didn't yet place him in doubt for Thursday's first test against Australia in Brisbane but there would be major worries if the symptoms continued through the weekend. It could also rob him of an important second innings here in the final lead-in to the two-test series.
"It's run for a day-and-a-half now and he was vomiting again this morning. That's the concern. That time away from eating means he's starting to lose a bit of condition. It's not alarming yet but we want to get him right quickly."
New Zealand aren't the only ones with illness concerns, less than a week out from the first test.
Australia's vice-captain Michael Clarke was rated doubtful by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch yesterday.
He has reportedly lost 6kg and has constricted breathing after contracting an illness during the fourth test against India in Nagpur.
He has undergone blood tests to identify the illness, and it is hoped he will recover in time for the test at the Gabba.
Paceman Brett Lee is also recovering from illness which saw him shed weight in India.
- NZPA
