Jack Haynes said he was determined to make amends for the run out of Worcestershire’s leading run-scorer, Jake Libby, on day one of the LV=Insurance County Championship match with Derbyshire at New Road.
Haynes took full responsibility for his part in the dismissal of Libby for 26 – and he responded in fine style by hitting a career-best 97.
It was another innings full of class, and fluent strokes from the 20-year-old as Worcestershire recovered from 62-3 to reach 336-7, and their batsmen thoroughly entertained the first spectators allowed into New Road for 20 months.
Haynes said: “I take full responsibility for the run-out, and I’ve apologised to him a few times, and that was disappointing.
“Jake has had such a great start to the season, and he has been brilliant for us.
“He’s not given me too much of a hard time about it. We are still friends!
“Was I extra determined after the run-out? A little bit. It is always in the back of your mind when you are batting, and you try and ‘park’ it and carry on.
“I was gutted, and it would have been nice to get to three figures and take that pressure off from running Jake out.”
Haynes has now achieved a new career-best score twice in four matches since earning a senior recall after the opening four games of the season.
He surpassed his previous best score of 87 against Warwickshire at Edgbaston earlier in the month when he was unluckily run out.
Haynes moved within three runs of his maiden century but then was caught on the square-leg boundary off a Matt Critchley long hop.
Haynes said: “We would have taken that score at the start of the day, after winning the toss and batting. A good day for the lads.
“Absolutely gutted to get out, but it’s nice to contribute and put a few runs on the board and have a couple of partnerships and, from that point of view, obviously delighted but disappointed not to get the three figures.
“I felt okay. I thought it was one of those pitches where I wasn’t middling much, and it’s one of those where the longer you bat, the better you feel.
“At the start, I struggled a little, but we had a little chat in the dressing room about it. Just forming partnerships, getting through the first few balls was crucial.
“It was pretty tough, but once you got through the start, runs came, and it felt a little more comfortable.
“If you asked me on 97 where I wanted the ball, it would be just about there. I mis-hit it a little bit and unfortunately found the man.
“It’s the game, and these things happen.”
