As of 10 December 2013 Haynes remains one of the only two players in the history of ODI cricket to have scored century on both debut and last match played, the only other being English batsman Dennis Amiss.

Haynes, when facing Australia in the bitter 1990–91 series, clashed verbally with Ian Healy, Merv Hughes, Craig McDermott and David Boon, who christened him 'Dessie'.

[7] Haynes had a successful career in English county cricket, playing 95 first-class games for Middlesex, scoring 7071 runs at 49.1 with a best of 255* against Sussex.

Haynes announced his retirement in March 1997 after playing a first-class game for Western Province against Natal in Cape Town.

[10][11] His first Test century came in February 1980 against New Zealand at the Carisbrook, Dunedin, a match the West Indies lost by one wicket.

[10] Haynes scored Test centuries at twelve cricket grounds, against five different opponents, including eight at venues outside the West Indies.

[17] He scored a century on his ODI debut in February 1978 against Australia at the Antigua Recreation Ground, St John's.

[11] Due to his man-of-the-match performance, the West Indies won the match by 101 runs, and the series 5–0.