KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Ex-West Indies leg-spinner Robert Haynes is set to become interim head coach of Jamaica Scorpions.

The 54-year-old replaces Robert Samuels who was sacked following Scorpions’ opening match of the Regional four-day championship, when they went down by 41 runs to Barbados Pride in Bridgetown.

Scorpions franchise chief executive, Courtney Francis, confirmed Haynes was due to link up with players yesterday, following the Christmas break.
“Come (Thursday) the original schedule for team practice will resume, so the players are due at Sabina Park,” Francis told the Observer newspaper here. “Robert Haynes is to come in and meet with us and also with the players.”

Haynes, who played eight One-Day Internationals between 1989 and 1991, has previously coached the Jamaica Under-19 side and also served as a West Indies selector.
He will now oversee Scorpions’ preparation for their third-round encounter against Windward Islands Volcanoes starting next week Friday at Sabina Park.

Francis said a recruitment process for a permanent head coach would be undertaken shortly, and the successful candidate appointed to lead Scorpions from next season.
“It is an interim position … the employment process has to take effect to get a permanent position,” Francis explained.

“That process will include having people apply for the position. As soon as the process is completed, we’ll keep the public abreast.”
He added: “Robert Haynes is inheriting players that he did not engage because these contracted players were engaged by Robert Samuels.

“When the next draft period comes around the coach in place for next year ought to be among the people who sit down and help to determine who those 15 contracted players will be.”

Samuels led Scorpions for two years after taking over from Junior Bennett but failed to oversee a championship-winning campaign.

Scorpions’ stunning defeat earlier this month – they were bowled out for 65 chasing 107 for victory – prompted Samuels’s dismissal.