I woke up to the news that my favourite cricketer of any nationality was inducted into the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Hall of Fame. Why is Desmond Haynes my favourite cricketer?
Back in the 1980’s I knew nothing about cricket. Thought it was the most boring sport ever. Then I saw a highlights show on television from a West Indies cricket tour of Australia, started to ask my father questions about the game (like why Walsh was bowling so that the batsman couldn’t play :)) and he offered to take me to the next match at Sabina Park. Then I was hooked! In those days, the opening pair of Haynes & Greenidge, used to put on mammoth totals. Although both batsmen were prolific, there was just something about Desmond Haynes’s batting style which I loved.
Fast forward to the early 90’s and I ended up working at the hotel where the West Indies and other cricket teams stayed, and I got to meet Haynes and the other greats. Being a budding photographer, I used to take my camera to work and ask the cricketers for photos. They were all so gracious. I recall one year when I asked Desmond for a photo by himself, he expressed surprised that someone would want a picture of him! I chose the one I liked best, got it enlarged and framed it. If I recall correctly, I gave him one too.
After he retired, I didn’t see him as much. Then came the (now) infamous Stanford 20/20 tournament launch and I was again in the company of my favourite cricketer in the whole wide world. Here we are talking after the launch in 2005 in Antigua.
In the press release from Cricket West Indies, President Ricky Skerritt said “He was an opening batsman and a close-to-the-wicket fielder par excellence, and together with Gordon Greenidge set the standard for how the new ball should be played.”
Well deserved Desmond Haynes!