Unrepentant Ryder fends off ugly reaction

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If Jesse Ryder has faults as a professional cricketer, constructing an innings is evidently not one of them.

But reacting to his eventual dismissal may need refining.

The boisterous 24-year-old proved just what an asset he is to New Zealand cricket at McLean Park here today by becoming just the 11th batsmen in this country's 350-test history to score a double century.

Ryder achieved the milestone when he pulled India's Zaheer Khan to the fence at fine leg to reach 201 shortly after lunch on the second day of the second cricket test.

His 24th boundary was immediately followed by an extravagant leap down the pitch and a flourish of the bat before he was embraced by batting partner Brendon McCullum.

But after the celebrations abated Ryder's Kookaburra bat took centre stage again when he angrily slammed it into the ground after he dragged Khan's next offering on to his stumps.

A rare false stroke drew an equally rare show of dissent as personal pride was replaced by moments of petulance.

Ryder trudged off oblivious to more acclaim from the crowd at his old home ground; head down, helmet on, thudding bat into pad as he went.

A cursory wave of the willow was all he managed.

Then as he approached his delighted teammates he smashed the bat into the concrete lip outside the dressing room before flinging aside the trusty blade responsible for his second test hundred in three innings.

Ryder had cooled down by stumps and contemplated his 328-ball vigil in more measured tones -- although he made no apology for his outburst.

"I'm not too fussed on the way I acted," he said.

"It probably looked a lot worse than what it was. I was just disappointed at the time; what happened, happened."

Ryder was ropeable when he became the second of three New Zealand batsmen to play on in their first innings of 619 for nine declared.

"It was a wide half volley. I was disappointed in going so far and working so hard to get to where I did. To get out like that really angered me."

Ryder was eventually able to reflect positively on an innings that continued a remarkable scoring sequence starting against the West Indies in Dunedin in December.

Since he fell 11 runs short of scoring his maiden test century at University Oval, Ryder carded scores of 57 and 59 not out before scoring 102 and 21 in the first test against India at Hamilton last week.

His test aggregate now stands at 768 midway through his eighth test and he averages 64.

Ryder, who came to the middle yesterday when New Zealand were 23 for three, occupied the crease until part way through the 124th over and departed when the score was 477.

"It's definitely a good feeling. I just stuck to my gameplan and I came off with a double," he said.

"I can't ask for anything more at this stage of my career. I can't complain."

His teammates will not either, even if they had to initially give him a wide berth.

McCullum, who only had two test hundreds in his 43-test career until today's 115, continues to be an unabashed admirer.

"The clarity he's playing at is quite amazing," he said.

-NZPA