New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder "devastated" by six-month ban

New Zealand batsman Jesse Ryder has expressed his distress at being hit with a six-month suspension for taking two banned stimulants in March.

The 29-year-old, who has revealed that he took the substance while on dietary supplement Gaspari Detonate in a bid to lose weight, was given the sanction following a hearing earlier this month.

"I'm devastated by this situation," Ryder said in a statement released by the New Zealand Cricket Players' Association. "I simply took the supplement alongside a training programme I was completing to help me lose weight.

"Whilst everyone is aware of my well-documented battles with alcohol, it's important for me to state that I abhor drug use of any kind, both recreational and performance-enhancing in sport."

Ryder, who was hospitalised following an assault in March, was not given a possible two-year ban as the governing body did not believe that the batsman intended to cheat.