Ryder fitness 'touch and go'

Jesse Ryder © Getty Images

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Jesse Ryder’s fitness for New Zealand’s one-day international series against England this summer remains in doubt.

The Wellington all-rounder has yet to return to cricket after sustaining a hand injury in a Christchurch bar while celebrating the Black Caps’ victory in the previous limited-overs series between the nations in February.

The 23-year-old was handed a New Zealand Cricket contract on Monday but will test his hand in the nets this month.

He also intends to rejoin the New Brighton club on the Wirral ahead of the tour if he is given the all-clear.

“It's going to be touch and go," the former Ireland left-hand bat told The Dominion Post. Peter Fulton is on standby.

Ryder was selected in both the touring party and contract list ahead of Firebirds team-mates Matthew Bell and Grant Elliott.

Bell was disappointed to miss out on both a 12-month deal and the tour squad having regained both in early 2008.

"I'm gutted I'm not going on the tour and now I haven't got a contract, it's pretty disappointing," he said.

"I had a big year, not many people score 1000 first-class runs. I admit I had a bad last month and I'm paying a pretty big penalty for it. I've just got to take it on the chin I suppose.”

Team manager Lindsay Crocker said Bell and Mathew Sinclair had paid the price for underwhelming Test performances.

"It is tough on Matthew Bell and Mathew Sinclair, but the selectors have decided to move in another direction because they felt the guys weren't up to the mark,” he added.

New Zealand arrive in England next week ahead of their three-Test, seven-ODI tour of the UK, which begins with a match against a Chris Cairns-led MCC side at Arundel.