Netherlands and Essex player Ryan ten Doeschate will hang up his boots from professional cricket at the end of 2021, the County confirmed. Notably, Netherlands have added the veteran to the upcoming T20 World Cup squad which will take place in UAE and Oman.

He has made his international debut way back in 2006, but started his association with Essex way back in 2003, after impressing Graham Gooch during a pre-season fixture in South Africa as well. In his 19 seasons, Ryan ten Doeschate has played 554 games across formats, scoring 17,046 runs and picking 348 wickets as well.

“From the bottom of my heart I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved with Essex during my time at the Club. It’s been the greatest professional experience to grow in this environment, to watch the organisation and the individuals within it evolve and become something that I am extremely proud to have been a part of,” he said in his statement following the decision.

However, Ryan ten Doeschate won the limited-overs tournament (Totesport League) in two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006 – a year in which he scored 259 for the Netherlands against Canada, his highest first-class score as well. In 2008, he was named the ICC Associate Player of the Year for the very first time, before getting the award again in 2010 and 2011 as well. He also appeared in the IPL, winning two titles with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012 and 2014 also.

Although he left the captaincy in 2019, he continued to play an important role in taking Essex forward and played a key role in their winning the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy in 2020 as well. “Coming from Cape Town to be given a chance to pursue my dream seems a million moons ago. We’ve shared some remarkable times but for me, the biggest achievement has been making a home away from home. I have a collection of memories from Chelmsford to keep me happy long into retirement,” Ryan ten Doeschate concluded.