Desmond Leo Haynes (born 15 February 1956) is a former Barbadian cricketer and cricket coach who represented the West Indies cricket team between 1978 and 1994. A right-handed opening batsman, Haynes is best known for forming one of the most prolific opening partnerships in Test cricket history alongside his fellow Barbadian Gordon Greenidge. He was a member of the West Indies squads that won the 1979 Cricket World Cup and finished runners-up at the 1983 Cricket World Cup.
| Full name | Desmond Leo Haynes |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 February 1956 |
| Nationality | Barbadian |
| Role | Opening batsman |
| International career | 1978–1994 |
| Test matches | 116 |
| Test runs | 7,487 |
| Test batting average | 42.29 |
| Highest Test score | 184 (vs England, 1980) |
| Wisden Cricketer of the Year | 1991 |
| ICC Cricket Hall of Fame | Inducted June 2021 |
Haynes was born in Barbados and went on to become one of the cornerstones of West Indian batting during the side's dominant period in international cricket. He favoured a more measured approach to batting, which complemented the more aggressive styles of several of his contemporaries.
Haynes made his international debut for the West Indies in 1978 and played for the side until 1994. He scored a century on his One Day International debut, joining a small group of players to have achieved that feat.
In 116 Test matches, Haynes scored 7,487 runs at an average of 42.29. His highest Test innings of 184 came against England in 1980. On 24 November 1983, in a Test against India, he became one of the few batsmen in Test history to be dismissed "handled the ball".
The cricket almanac Wisden, which named him one of its Cricketers of the Year in 1991, noted his "combination of timing and barely evident power". The Trinidad and Tobago Guardian rated him "one of the greatest of all time", and the BBC described his association with Gordon Greenidge as "one of the greatest opening partnerships in history".
After retiring as a player, Haynes moved into coaching roles in cricket.