West Indies batting legend Desmond Haynes was on Sunday named among ten great former players inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Hall of Fame, to mark the first-ever World Test Championship final.
The 65-year-old, who formed a storied opener partnership with fellow Barbadian Sir Gordon Greenidge at the height of the region’s halcyon era, featured in 116 Tests and 238 One-Day Internationals in an international career spanning 16 years.
Joining Haynes among the inductees was another West Indies legend Sir Learie Constantine, England greats Ted Dexter and Bob Willis, along with India’s Vinoo Mankad and Australia’s Stan McCabe.
“I have played cricket with some of the greats of the game from the West Indies who are also inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame,” Haynes said on the honour.
“That team from 1978 till about the 1990s was a fantastic team. As a young boy growing up in Barbados, I never dreamt that I would be one day inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame.
“I have really come a long way and I am very happy for this honour.”
Haynes tallied 7 487 runs at an average of 42 in Tests with 18 hundreds to be seventh on the all-time West Indies list of run-scorers.
He was also prolific in ODIs, gathering 8648 runs at an average of 41, with 17 centuries to be fourth on the all-time ODI list of Windies run-scorers, only behind Chris Gayle, Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.
Haynes made his West Indies debut a week after his 22nd birthday, and celebrated with a magnificent 148 against Australia in an ODI in Antigua.
He made his Test debut on that same tour, hitting fifties in his first three innings before scoring his maiden Test hundred against New Zealand two years later.
Haynes, who has remained close to the game in previous roles as West Indies batting coach, dedicated the ICC honour to his family.
“The journey was not smooth, I started playing cricket in a little area of St. James in Barbados where I was loved by everyone in the community, who also helped me stay out of trouble,” he said.
“This is also for my grandmother, my mum and my wife, all of whom supported me in my journey.”
The World Test Championship final between India and New Zealand is scheduled for Lord’s starting Friday.
CMC
