Cricket: Pressure on Ryder to score heavily

Jesse Ryder. Photo / Getty Images

There will be no easy passage back into the Black Caps for Jesse Ryder, according to coach Mike Hesson.

Ryder is now over his six-month ban for failing a drug test and has recovered from a head injury suffered while being assaulted in Christchurch early this year.

He begins his campaign to get back in the New Zealand side with Otago against his old team Wellington at the Basin Reserve today.

There's no dispute the burly lefthander, who averages 40.93 from his 18 tests, is among the most gifted batsmen in the country. However, Hesson said what Ryder now needs is runs, plenty of them.

Ryder has made plain his determination to wear the black cap again. His last international was against South Africa in Napier in February 2012.

"I think everyone's pretty pleased to see Jesse back on the field," Hesson said from Dhaka yesterday. "He hadn't hit a ball until not that long ago and there was a bit of a worry in terms of his co-ordination when you do get a head injury.

''He's going to have to score a high volume of runs, I don't think there's any doubt about that."

Hesson pointed out that New Zealand's top order scored over 400 in the first innings of both tests in Bangladesh, "and performed well".

''If Jesse is playing well, he certainly asks us some pretty good questions - so let's hope he piles on the runs," he said.

Ryder, 29, has had a week training with Otago since his ban expired last weekend. Otago captain Derek de Boorder spoke this week of how well Ryder had fitted into their group and they'll be hoping for a good return from a batsman who averages 44.46 in first-class cricket.