ST JOHN'S: West Indies have been able to persuade Desmond Haynes, one of their legends, to become a batting consultant for the current side.
The West Indies Cricket Board announced on Monday that Haynes will work with Darren Sammy's side for the duration of the home series against Pakistan and India before it undertakes a search for a long-term batting coach.
Haynes' arrival comes on the heels of a disappointing World Cup, following which coach Ottis Gibson placed heavy blame on the senior batsmen in particular, and made an urgent request for such expertise to be brought on board.
“I have always said I wanted to be involved in West Indies cricket, and help in any way I could,” said Haynes in a WICB media release announcing his appointment.
“This is a chance to help the young players with their development. I just want to see the players get better as we aim for improvement at all levels in West Indies cricket and get the team back to the halcyon days.”
Haynes' appointment is timely, since there are several unproven batsmen in the line-up to face Pakistan in the opening exchanges of a home series during the next week.
This follows the omissions of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, and Ramnaresh Sarwan for the inaugural Twenty20 against the Pakistanis on Thursday at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St. Lucia, as well as the first two One-day Internationals at the same venue.
Haynes was part of the team's brief training camp at the West Indies High Performance Centre last week in Barbados before travelling with the side to St. Lucia.
“I am happy to be part of the team management unit, headed by Ottis Gibson, and I believe I can also help the players with the mental aspect of their game and the way they go about their cricket in general,” he said.
“This is a chance to make a contribution, and I'm pleased to be given the opportunity to be involved in West Indies cricket once more.”
Haynes was one half of the famous opening pair, along with compatriot Gordon Greenidge, which served West Indies successfully during the glory years between the late 1970s and the 1980s.
He played 116 Tests, making 7,487 runs at an average of 42.29, and contested 238 ODIs, scoring a West Indies record of 8,648 runs at an average of 42.37 until Brian Lara passed him.
Haynes continued his involvement with the game, coaching in his native Barbados and around the World, working with players like the South African pair of Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, among others, since his acrimonious retirement from the game almost two decades ago.
He has also worked in various administrative roles, including becoming a director of the WICB, and the first vice-president of the Barbados Cricket Association.
Haynes is the second West Indies great to be attached to the side, following the appointment of Richie Richardson, another former captain, to the post of manager last year ahead of the tour to Sri Lanka.
The WICB's success in convincing Haynes to work with their side comes following the Pakistan Cricket Board's failure to influence batting great Javed Miandad to join their side on this tour in a similar capacity.
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