Proteas and Dolphins batsman Sarel Erwee retired from professional cricket this month.
Erwee debuted in first-class cricket in 2008 and collected 7,453 runs at an average of 37, including 13 centuries and 44 half-tons during a 17-year career.
“It has been a tricky two years for me, where I haven’t really played much cricket. Cricket has been my life. It has given me everything and I have given it everything. It’s a game I truly love. A lot of people like cricket, but I really love cricket,” Erwee told Club Cricket SA.
“I’m a student of the game and, unfortunately over the last two years, I fell out of love for the game. There are a lot of circumstances around that. I don’t want to remember cricket as a burden and I don’t want to take that burden into my family.
“I think it was also the right time to move on with the opportunities I have outside of cricket and with the Dolphins having some young and exciting talent coming through the ranks. I couldn’t keep playing and throwing away opportunities for one or two more years of cricket.
“I have a future away from the game that I need to pursue and it was the right time. It wasn’t easy, but I have the faith that it was the right time to walk away and give everything to my family, who have been by my side throughout my cricket journey.”
Sarel Erwee.
Erwee played 10 Tests from 2022 to 2023 – and collected 479 runs at an average of 27, including one century and one half-ton. He debuted for the Proteas against New Zealand in Christchurch. His international career ended against Australia in Sydney. He also played Test cricket in England and South Africa.
“That Test century against New Zealand in Christchurch is right up there among my career highlights. Being able to play Test cricket in different countries – at Lord’s, Old Trafford, The Oval, Sydney Cricket Ground, Melbourne Cricket Ground and others – was a privilege,” added Erwee.
“I want to remember the happy times in cricket, not the times that I didn’t love the game for non-cricketing reasons. I have no regrets. I had a lovely career, which I am very proud of and I’m proud of how I got there.
“Winning trophies with the Dolphins, the Hong Kong Sixes with South Africa, the SA20 with the Sunrisers Eastern Cape – those are big career highlights, too. It was great to do that with a lot of good guys and it’s something I will cherish for a long time.”