KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Former Jamaica and West Indies leg-spinner Robert Haynes was officially named the new head coach of the Jamaica Scorpions at a press conference held in the President’s Box at Sabina Park on Wednesday.
Haynes, who began his duties on October 1, returns to the role for the third time, replacing Andrew Richardson. His first stint came in 1998 when he led the Jamaica team to the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia, and he served as interim head coach in 2019 after replacing Robert Samuels.
The former West Indies selector will be supported by Jamaica U19 coach Terrence Corke as his assistant. The duo will prepare the Scorpions for their upcoming campaign in the Super 50 Cup.
One of Haynes’ primary goals is to revamp the team’s culture, and he has already pinpointed key areas that need attention.
“We need to change the way we practice,” Haynes explained. “The days of players coming in and batting for 15-20 minutes in the nets are behind us and that approach just doesn’t work anymore.”
Haynes also emphasized the role of young cricketers in this cultural overhaul, stating that the future of Jamaica’s cricket depends on developing the next generation of players. Drawing from his experience as a former Jamaica U19 coach, he hopes to blend modern philosophies with his wealth of knowledge to bring success to the Jamaican franchise.
“One thing I’ll be introducing is more game-sense scenarios,” he added. “And we’ll be asking players for feedback which is going to be crucial as we move forward.”
“Within the next 12-16 months, we hope we can see a change in terms of where we want to go. We want the players to buy into the programme we have because if they don’t, it’s going to take longer. But it’s our job as coaches to let them realise that if you want to go to the international level, these are things you need to do.”
Haynes believes that the inclusion of assistant coach Corke, who has worked with many of the current Scorpions players at the youth level, will be key to the team’s development.
“To get the best results, we needed someone who has been with the youth players, and that’s where Terrence comes in. His experience will help elevate the team,” Haynes noted.
The 59-year-old coach also praised the Jamaica Cricket Association’s (JCA) recent establishment of an elite coaching advisory board, which includes Chairman of Selectors Delroy Morgan and Talent Coaching Manager Junior Bennett.
