Relive the grit and class of legendary West Indian opener Desmond Haynes as he crafted a composed 65 off 123 balls against India in the first innings of the 3rd Test at Port of Spain, Trinidad, on April 15, 1989.
Batting for 178 minutes and striking 7 classy boundaries, Haynes anchored the West Indies innings on a pitch offering assistance to the Indian bowlers. Facing quality bowling from the likes of Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar, and Anil Kumble, Haynes showed patience, technique, and determination.
This innings was a perfect blend of defense and calculated strokeplay — a classic example of Test match temperament. Watch this rare gem from the archives of cricket history.
📍 Match Details:
🏏 Match: West Indies vs India, 3rd Test, 1989
🗓️ Date: April 15, 1989
🏟️ Venue: Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
🧢 Innings: First Innings - West Indies
👍 Like | 💬 Comment | 🔔 Subscribe for more vintage cricket videos!
00:00On April 15, 1989, in the first innings of the third Test at Port of Spain, Desmond Haynes
00:07delivered a composed and determined performance, scoring 65 runs of 123 balls in 178 minutes.
00:14His innings, decorated with seven boundaries, came on a challenging turning track in East
00:19India, displaying the hallmark of a classic Caribbean opener.
00:23Desmond Haynes anchored the West India's innings with resilience and flair, helping
00:27his team post a respectable total of 314 runs.
00:31His contribution proved crucial as West Indies went on to dominate the match and secure a
00:37commanding victory by 217 runs.
00:39Let's relive those golden moments and celebrate the brilliance of Desmond Haynes are true legends
00:45of the West Indies cricket.
00:57And the West Indies, well look at the runs at the top, there's Gordon Greenwich, Haynes and
01:05Richard Richardson, all have scored centuries in this series so far, and of course we have
01:09the same quartet of menacing fast bowlers.
01:15Chiton Charmer, lots of grass in this wicket, more grass than we've seen anywhere in the Test
01:24cricket world.
01:28And maybe this will suit the faster bowlers.
01:34Desmond Haynes, the well-known looking partner for Greenwich, three slips of short leg for Chiton
01:49Charmer.
01:50Oh, nicely played.
01:52Not too bad a ball really, quite straight, but beautifully timed.
01:59That's Rahman, the young man from Madras on the deep square leg boundary, 24 for no wicket.
02:09This is Desmond Haynes.
02:18It'll be close, but that's where they're so good, and that's the value of regular batting
02:23partners.
02:24It's a push and a nod, and off they go.
02:30Point well taken here, Tony, watch Greenwich backing up, he's looking, he's running not
02:35to the danger end, so he knows that's the end which matters, and he's pulling up quite
02:40comfortably.
02:41Desmond Haynes, Chiton Charmer bowling.
02:46Just a suggestion of movement there.
02:53And a bit of bounce too, I think, beating Haynes here, hitting him above the pads, just a lot
03:03of suspicion in the batsman's minds, really.
03:05They saw this wicket early this morning, thick with grass, and they all came out expecting
03:12the worst, Indio winning the toss, and putting West Indies in first.
03:19But that's a good shot, got right on top of it.
03:21Really stood up on his toes then.
03:27The retriever.
03:28This is a good example of watching the ball.
03:36His head very still, going up with the bounce, and just nudging it into the open gap on the
03:41offside.
03:43And Sidhu's chasing that, but really it's a pretty forlorn effort.
03:50Very positive start by the West Indies.
03:57It's a strange wicket, this.
04:00It looked very rough when we went and had a look at it before the start of play, Tony.
04:03Some have bounced, some have kept a bit low.
04:05Those close feeders are very close.
04:08Ravi Shastri the bowler.
04:10Good clip.
04:12Lovely shot, in position.
04:14Very short ball, and we've seen now that there's very little pace in this pitch.
04:18So if you do drop short, the ball actually stands up and asks to be hit.
04:24Shastri very wide of the crease.
04:27And Haynes, who is a very fine player off the back foot, making no mistake with that.
04:40That's a good clubbing shot to square leg.
04:48Well that's a good spot to watch the game from.
04:50Although that tin roof must get pretty hot under the noonday sun here in Trinidad.
04:56Hayub again, and away it goes square again.
05:00Very safe shots actually.
05:02The ball is turning predictably, and the sweep shot is with the spin.
05:0974 for the loss of one wicket.
05:13It's Shastri to Haynes.
05:17Good shot.
05:18Oh, wonderful save.
05:19That's a lovely stop by Chetan Sharma.
05:22Full length, not much of him, but it's all he had.
05:25A good example of the athleticism of the modern cricket, I think, turning over the people who might have played in our day.
05:32That could have easily been four runs.
05:34Not particularly well struck by Haynes, but look at Chetan.
05:37He actually gave that everything.
05:39Haynes on 39, and Artheten just come out to bat.
05:42It just seems to me that rather too many runs conceded.
05:47India need to be a bit tighter in this afternoon session.
05:50Ayub is bowler.
05:51Haynes.
05:52Very quick single.
06:00But India insists on surrounding the batsman with four close fielders.
06:04Ayub is still bowing.
06:07Yes, another one for Haynes.
06:09And 50 for Haynes.
06:14Very fine half century.
06:16Very good judge of the single, as we saw there.
06:18And he's also played some splendid shots before.
06:21Which game there?
06:24Helmeted in close.
06:26So the 100 comes up.
06:29Of 227 balls.
06:33Still Desmontains.
06:34Going well.
06:35A Hirani.
06:37Swung away.
06:38It's high, but it's safe.
06:41Almost seems to pick the place there, the position square on the leg side.
06:46And it's four runs at Desmontains.
06:50Well, I hope his short square leg has got good life insurance.
06:53Because if you get hit by that at 90 miles an hour, you tend to stay hit for a long time.
06:58And the short square leg is spent...
07:02109 now for two.
07:07Ravi Shastri to Desmontains.
07:10And that's struck again, full blow by Haynes.
07:14That goes first bounce into the crowd.
07:17And back again, it's Rahman down there.
07:20The man in his third test match.
07:24118 for three.
07:27Very good.
07:29Desmond Haynes was one of the most dependable and stylish opening best man in West Indies cricket history.
07:36Born on February 15, 1956 in Barbados, Desmond Haynes formed a legendary opening partnership with Gordon Greenwich,
07:43which became the backbone of the West Indies' batting lineup during the 1980s.
07:48Known for his calm temperament, solid technique, and the ability to adapt to different conditions,
07:54Haynes played a vital role in maintaining the West Indies dominance in world cricket during his era.
08:00In test cricket, Desmond Haynes played 116 matches between 1978 and 1994.
08:05During this illustrious career, he scored a total of 7,487 runs at an impressive average of 42.29.
08:16He registered 18 centuries and 39 half centuries, with a high score of 184.
08:22Whether it was playing on fast, bouncy pitches, or on slow turning tracks, Desmond Haynes always brought a sense of reliability and discipline to the crease.
08:31His ability to weather the storm in testing conditions made him a valuable asset, especially in away tours.
08:38One of Desmond Haynes' greatest strength was his partnership building.
08:42Together with Gordon Greenwich, he compiled several match-winning stands that gave West Indies a solid foundation at top of the order.
08:50Their partnership remains one of the most successful in test history.
08:53Desmond Haynes was also a fine fielder, often contributing in the slips or outfield, with sharp reflexes and safe hands.
09:02Desmond Haynes' contribution to the West Indies cricket goes beyond the numbers.
09:07He symbolized consistency, determination, and class during an era when the West Indies were a powerhouse in world cricket.
09:13His performances were not only impactful, but also carried the flair of Caribbean cricket.
09:20Today, he is remembered as a cricketing great and continues to be involved in the game, contributing to its development in the Caribbean.
09:27If you liked this video, please comment, share, and subscribe.
