Mike Haysman

South African cricket commentator

Michael Donald Haysman (born 22 April 1961) is an Australian born international cricket commentator. Prior to his broadcasting career, he is perhaps best known as a participant in the South African rebel tours. Haysman was born in Adelaide, South Australia. As a first class cricketer, he represented Leicestershire, Northern Transvaal, South Australia and Transvaal domestic sides. From 1985 to 1987, Haysman represented the Australian XI in the South African rebel tours. Haysman worked for SuperSport for over ten years, hosting cricket show Extra Cover and making regular appearances on Super Saturday. On 28 October 2006 he recorded his last SuperSport appearance. He lived in Miami for nearly three years working with Allen Stanford's Caribbean Twenty 20 as commentator and analyst but moved to Los Angeles after Stanford's conviction on fraud charges. Haysman now resides in Los Angeles and travels when and where his services are required to host and commentate. Nowadays he is working primarily for SuperSport, ESPN International and Ten Sports.

In August 1985 Haysman signed to tour South Africa. He called it "the toughest decision I've ever had to make. But I'm a professional cricketer and I'm just pursuing my profession. Because I'm going to be playing with and against international players, I see the tour as a great chance for me to improve my own game and put that to good use when I get back to help South Australia." Haysman struggled on the first tour making 326 first class runs at 29.63 but did well on the second, making 738 runs at 61.5. He played in Australia in 1987/88 only making 287 first class runs at 26.09. He moved back to South Africa and played there from 1988–89 to 1993–94.