Dutch pace bowler Edgar Schiferli has decided the call a halt to his 14-year international career, the KNCB announced on Saturday.

The 33-year-old Schiferli sustained a knee injury during the opening match of the World Twenty20 qualifier in Dubai in February, and it has now emerged that the damage was considerably more serious than at first appeared.

‘With the thought in my mind that I had a crack in my meniscus,’ Schiferli said at the weekend, ‘I went to my doctor. After keyhole surgery it turns out that the cartilage has been damaged, with a two-centimetre square area of damage.

‘For any recovery they had drilled a couple of holes in my cartilage, connective tissue must grow into the hole for healing. After a couple of visits to my physiotherapist and watching the DVD I received from the doctor, it became very clear that this is an injury I will never fully recover from.

‘On the recommendation of my physiotherapist I have had to make the most difficult decision at this point of my life.’

Schiferli first played for the Dutch national side in 1996, and appeared in a total of 97 one-day and first-class matches, taking 170 wickets at an average of 24.96, and a further 7 international Twenty20 matches. Only five men – Carstjan Posthuma, Tim de Leede, Roland Lefebvre, Ernst Vriens and Top Rincker – have taken more wickets for the Netherlands.

Schiferli was also a hard-hitting lower-order batsman, making 1159 runs at 18.11 with his career-best a not-out 89 against Namibia in Windhoek in 2002. His most memorable performance with the bat, however, was certainly his brief innings against England at Lord’s last year, when with Ryan ten Doeschate he secured that remarkable last-ball victory in the opening match of the World Twenty20 championship.

With the ball, his greatest achievement was in last year’s World Cup qualifier in South Africa, where his 24 wickets at 17.38 earned him the Player of the Tournament award. He claimed five wickets in an innings five times in all, with his best figures five for 20 against Papua New Guinea in the 2005 ICC Trophy.

Schiferli intends to go on playing for Topklasse club Quick Haag, for whom he has taken 386 wickets at 19.89.

‘After fifteen beautiful years with the Dutch eleven, great tours, all the achievements we have reached, amazing team players and the fantastic experiences,’ he says, ‘it’s time to focus on some other things in life: Topklasse cricket and maybe some coaching at Quick, and a round of golf every now and then.

‘Nobody can ever take the memories away from me. I want to thank all the people who supported us, and I wish the guys good luck with all the trips and matches, the World Cup 2011 and future qualifications. I’ll be around the field to support them!’

The Twenty20 tournament in Dubai and the subsequent visit to Nairobi demonstrated how much Schiferli will be missed as a new-ball bowler, and the Dutch will need someone to step quickly and decisively into his role.