Tom Haines is much more than a fill-in bowler. Just ask Ollie Pope
10.09.26, 20:13 Updated 10.09.26, 20:13 3 Minute Read
Bruce Talbot
Tom Haines is developing quite a profitable side hustle in addition to his responsibilities as opening batsman and, in Ollie Robinson’s absence, captain of Sussex’s Championship side.
On Thursday at Hove, Ollie Pope was added to a growing list of very decent county batsmen who have lost their wicket to Haines.
The list of his 39 first-class victims also includes Joe Root, Chris Dent, Wayne Marsden, Scott Borthwick, Jake Libby, Louis du Plooy, Chris Cooke, Kiran Carlson, Jake Lehmann, James Rew and Cameron Steel, who was Haines’ first victim back in 2018. That’s quite a roll call.
When he started his career Haines was regarded as nothing more than a fill-in, someone to bowl a few overs before the new ball or to facilitate a change of ends. In the five seasons after his first wicket he only took 14 more.
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