How many chances does Jesse Ryder want before he sorts himself out? The burly all-rounder has been on the international scene for just over two years now, but he has made more headlines for the wrong reasons than he has actually played matches.

His latest run-in with New Zealand Cricket bosses came after he was "intoxicated and rowdy" during an indoor cricket competition.

"I was actually thinking that this could have been it for me. But luckily they've given me one last chance.

"Now I know that I have to keep my head down, keep training hard and force my way back in the side. This is pretty much a wake-up call for me," Ryder said after he was fined and dealt a stern warning.

However, every time he receives a "wake-up call" he appears to be hitting the snooze button. Just look at the amount of times he has been either injured or made the wrong headlines...

March 2007 - Turns his back on New Zealand and opts to play as an overseas player for Ireland. However, he fails to turn up in Ireland.

February 2008 - Severs tendons in his right hand after punching a window in a Christchurch bar in the early hours of the morning following New Zealand's win over England. "I apologise to the public and all the people who have supported me. My behaviour was unacceptable," he said. "I understand there are issues I need to address. I am committed to working with New Zealand Cricket to get back on track and back in the team." He is consequently out of action for roughly six months.

September 2008 - Vows there will be no more "stuff-ups otherwise I'm gone" after being selected for Bangladesh tour.

November 2008 - Quarantined from his team-mates and placed on an intravenous drip after being struck down by mystery illness.

January 2009 - Misses fourth ODI against West Indies in Wellington due to "inadequate preparation". He also missed the team meeting earlier in the week and was unable to train after some late-night drinking.

January 2009 - His manager, Aaron Klee, confirms Ryder has given up alcohol, saying "the clock has been reset, he's on the road again and let's hope he and we can keep him good".

February 2009 - A shoulder injury means a premature end to the Chappell-Hadlee Series for Ryder.

May 2009 - His manager denies reports that he had to be restrained by security guards during an off-field incident in the IPL in South Africa. However, he admits his client broke his vow not to touch alcohol.

September 2009 - Misses the remainder of his team's campaign in the Champions Trophy in South Africa after he pulled his left abductor muscle.

November 2009 - New Zealand team manager Dave Currie is reported to have copped abuse from Ryder after a Champions Trophy match. First Ryder smashed a chair with his bat and then he told Currie to "**** off, you stupid old ****", according to the Sunday Star-Times. The opener was hit with a fine by the match referee for smashing the chair, but wasn't punished for verbally abusing Currie as his cricket bosses felt it wasn't too "serious" an offence.

January 2010 - Ruled out of home series against Bangladesh due to stomach muscle injury.

March-April 2010 - Misses the entire Indian Premier League due to groin injury.

May 2010 - Forced to sit out New Zealand's Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka in the USA with elbow injury.

July 2010 - Ruled out of New Zealand tour of Sri Lanka with an elbow injury.

July 2010 - Fined and given a stern warning for "being intoxicated and rowdy during the night".

Ryder made his New Zealand debut in 2008, but his shocking injury record means he has only played 11 Tests, 21 ODIs and 14 Twenty20 Internationals. Despite all his misdemeanours and fitness problems, New Zealand Cricket still see him as a first-team player when fit.

It's not quite clear whether that is because they genuinely believe he can clean up his act or whether it's because New Zealand's batting cupboards are so bare that they are forced to stick with him through thick and thin.

There is no doubt that Ryder is a much better batsman than any one of Peter Ingram, Daniel Flynn, BJ Watling, Mathew Sinclair, Neil Broom, Aaron Redmond and Tim McIntosh. But what sort of message does it send to the other players in the New Zealand camp? It's either 'You're not good enough so we'll continue to give Ryder chance after or chance' or 'You can step out of line as many times as you like and we'll still back you'.

The New Zealand bosses need to take a stand and make an example of him instead of saying 'we forgive you, now let's move on'.

Ryder is not the first cricket player to have a booze problem and he won't be the last. However, he can either take example from Ricky Ponting or go down the Andrew Symonds route.

Both players had their problems with the bottle, but whereas Ponting learned from his mistakes after suffering a black eye during a fight, Symonds' international career ended on the rocks after he crossed the line repeatedly, despite warnings and fines from Cricket Australia authorities.

Ryder has already had a number of warnings in his short career, but can only say sorry so many times before he loses the public's sympathy.

Shahida Jacobs