After 16 years as a first-class cricketer, Quinton Friend has seamlessly transitioned into coaching – and he’s brought the same hard-nosed professionalism that defined his playing days to the Hollywoodbets Dolphins.
In his first season as head coach, Friend has placed culture, character, and relentless work ethic at the heart of his philosophy.
From rebuilding team connections to developing future Proteas, he shared with Cricket Fanatics Magazine what drives him, what’s changed in South African cricket, and how he’s shaping a new era for Dolphins cricket.
“It all started while I was still playing. I ended up playing first-class cricket for about 16 years, and in my last year at the Knights, I took on the role of academy head coach in Free State. I always wanted to give back,” said Friend.
“I worked with some really highly qualified coaches — Eric Simons, Vincent Barnes, Mickey Arthur, Graham Ford, and Sarel Cilliers – and I picked up so much knowledge from them. Coaching was always something I wanted to go into. I did my Level 3 while I was still playing so that the transition would be smoother.”
Friend’s focus since taking over the Dolphins has been on creating a team culture rooted in unity and purpose. “I’m quite a big guy when it comes to culture. It’s important for me to have a group of contracted players driving in the same direction,” he said.
“You’ve got to keep a fine eye on who’s pulling away from the team and who’s keeping things together. I asked: how are the opposition going to see us as a group? Are we fighting for one another? I’m big on connections – each player spending enough time with the guy next to him to really understand his character. Character for me is big. When I sign players, I sign for character.”
That team-first mentality extends to the Dolphins’ on-field performance. “Too often in South African cricket, we settle for the bare minimum. I want players who are prepared to put in the hard yards, even if it means going a little bit over and beyond,” he explained.
“We’ve created a mentality now where guys aren’t happy facing 80 balls – they want to face 300. They’re not happy bowling five overs – they’ll bowl eight. That extra two or three percent can win you the close games. It’s about going the extra mile for the guy next to you.”
As a coach, Friend takes pride in seeing his players progress to higher levels. “I’m proud of every player who gets called up. Our job is to produce Proteas. When your team’s doing well, your players get noticed – and that’s the reward,” he said.
“We’ll lose Ackermann, Chele, Smith, Milani, Subrayen, and Kesh – but that’s the goal. My job is to make sure that when those guys go up, the next group is ready. Ackermann’s captaincy has come on very nicely. He’s earned the full respect of players around the country and he’s knocking hard on the Test door.”
Building depth in Durban remains a key challenge for Friend. “We’ve got to find ways of holding players in Durban for longer. We’re not as fortunate as Tuks or Maties with university structures, so we need different solutions,” he said.
“This winter I brought in four high-performance players and gave them the same attention I gave my contracted squad. My ideal is to build two squads – strength versus strength – like we see in rugby.”
He’s also conscious of aligning domestic systems with the national vision. “We have coaches’ conferences where we discuss what the national side is looking for and the type of approach they want. We try to implement that, but conditions matter – you can’t force players to play one way if it doesn’t fit,” he said.
“For guys in their mid-to-late twenties who are close to the national setup, it’s important that the messaging between us and CSA is aligned.”
Reflecting on how the game has changed, Friend said: “From 1999 to 2016, bowling units tested batting lineups a lot more. You had two or three bowlers in an attack, hitting 140 km/h. Now you’re lucky to have two. That’s why batting looks stronger – the bowling intensity has dropped slightly. But I still think South African cricket is in a good place. The domestic players who’ve stepped up for the Proteas have proved the system works.”
Ultimately, Friend’s coaching philosophy comes down to unlocking potential. “I just want to get the best out of every individual. Everyone’s got more in them than they think – my job is to help them see it,” he said.
“At the end of the day, if I can leave the Dolphins in a better place than I found it, I’ll have done my job.”
