When Pieter Seelaar wasn’t even on the Dutch squad list for today’s second ODI against England, it was apparent that something was up with the 17-year veteran of the Dutch national side and captain since 2018.

He had been struggling with a back injury over the last two years and during the game the KNCB announced that he had chosen to retire from international cricket.

In a statement published on the KNCB website, Seelaar said “Since 2020 my back problem has got worse to such an extent that - much to my regret - I am no longer able to give everything I’ve got.”

Dutch high performance manager Roland Lefebvre, himself a former national captain, said “Pieter’s input has been priceless, first as a player and later also as captain. His management style is open, honest and transparent, which has always been appreciated by the players. He can look back upon a wonderful international career which unfortunately comes to an untimely end. We wish him the very best for the future.”

Seelaar came up through the Dutch youth ranks - a photo of him and Eoin Morgan as opposing captains in the 2002 European Under-15 Championship circulated on Twitter prior to the first ODI - and made his debut for the senior team in a C&G Trophy match against Warwickshire in May 2005.

He played twice in the ICC Trophy later that year, including the fifth place play-off win over the UAE that secured the Netherlands ODI status. His ODI debut was against Sri Lanka at VRA in 2006 two days after the Dutch conceded a then world record ODI total on the same ground. That he announced his retirement two days after the Dutch conceded another world record ODI total at VRA provides a nice symmetry to his ODI career, but is hardly the auspicious end that his contribution to Dutch cricket deserves.

He first came to wider attention at the 2009 World T20 when he performed a “penguin dance” after dismissing England captain Paul Collingwood in the Netherlands historic win at Lord’s. He was also in the side when they defeated England again in the 2014 tournament.

In all he played 57 ODIs and 77 T20Is for the Netherlands but that is only part of his career. He also represented them in 23 Intercontinental Cup matches, 77 other List A matches, 21 other T20 matches and several other matches without any sort of status.

At club level he played for Hermes from 2001 to 2014 before switching to VOC.