Jesse Ryder feeling 'heaps better'

The New Zealand cricketer, Jesse Ryder, is on the mend three days after suffering severe head injuries in a fight outside a Christchurch bar.

Ryder was moved yesterday from the intensive care ward of Christchurch Hospital to a regular ward as he recovers from a fractured skull and punctured lung. On Saturday the 28-year-old was brought out of an induced coma and removed from a respirator.

In a statement yesterday, Ryder said: "I just want to let everyone know that I'm OK. I feel heaps better today but still really tired. I've been reading your messages that have been sent so thank you to everyone for thinking of me."