Top 5 infamous moments of assault charges against cricketers

Jesse Ryder (New Zealand)

Unlike the other entries on this list, former New Zealand batter Jesse Ryder was the victim of a brutal assault rather than the accused. In March 2013, Ryder was attacked outside a Christchurch bar after an altercation, suffering severe head injuries and a collapsed lung. The incident left him in a medically induced coma and sparked concern across the cricketing world.

Two men, Craig Joseph O'Neill and Dylan James O'Neill, were arrested and later pleaded guilty to assault charges. In 2015, Craig O'Neill admitted assault with intent to injure and received 250 hours of community work along with an order to pay emotional harm reparation. Dylan O'Neill pleaded guilty to common assault and was fined. Ryder recovered after spending nearly a week in hospital and eventually resumed his professional cricket career.