How new Proteas star Sarel Erwee nearly quit cricket: 'I was a phone call away'

Proteas opener Sarel Erwee may have made a maiden Test ton on the first day of the second Test against New Zealand in Christchurch on Friday, but he spoke afterwards about just how difficult that journey to the top had been.

The 32-year-old from Pietermaritzburg explained in the post-day press conference how he nearly quit the game just over two years ago, citing the unrelenting slog of South African first-class cricket as a factor that gradually demotivated him.

Erwee made his first-class debut for KwaZulu-Natal Coastal in 2008. Fourteen years and 96 first-class games later, he made his Test debut and, on Friday, went a long way in cementing his spot with a century.

SCORECARD | New Zealand v South Africa, Second Test, Day One

In his maiden first-class game, Erwee played alongside Khaya Zondo and Keshav Maharaj, who achieved bigger things at an earlier stage.

Erwee said the support from his parents and the openness in dealing with the mental health issues that afflicted him have helped steer his path towards the light.

"About 28 months ago, the thought of quitting crossed my mind and I was a phone call away from doing so," Erwee said.

"I received huge support when I sat down with my family and my parents picked me up. They helped me see a sports psychologist and we worked through that rough spot daily.

"It was a hard slog to try and get motivated again and to give my best after wanting to give up. The slogging at the lower levels felt worthless and pointless at some stage.

"I was very fortunate to have worked with a sports performance psychologist and my parents' support at the time was incredible.

"It's been my motivating factor."

Erwee, who has been in and around the Proteas Test squad for the past 18 months due to his heavy