3-Cushion
ZUNDERT - Eddy Leppens and Roland Forthomme threw their punches in the early evening session, with Jean van Erp and Peter Ceulemans going down for the count. Two Germans tried to get into the last four, but they were stopped by Barry van Beers and Eddy Merckx. The best show was on the table where home player van Beers faced Martin Horn, and took a quick lead (21-4 in 10 innings). The German, one of the favorites for the tournament win, clawed back to 26-22 (in 18), but he had to throw the towel in the end: Van Beers won 50-41 in 32 and was loudly rewarded by the crowd
Thorsten Frings, who had played so well in the group, kept up with Merckx for a while in a mediocre match. He was not out of it at 30-27, but a run of 12 by his opponent was too much: 50-30 in 31 innings. The German finished on top ahead of Martin Horn, who lost his last match in the group stage against Raimond Burgman.
The traditional year-closing event that draws so many Dutch and Belgian fans to Zundert will end in a confrontation between one Dutchman and three Belgians this Wednesday. Barry van Beers is hot, as he has shown in the flight stage and in the quarterfinal. He will now face Eddy Leppens.
Roland Forthomme will meet Eddy Merckx in the other semifinal. Both matches are scheduled for 13.00. Roland Forthomme made the difference in the 12th inning against his teammate Peter Ceulemans, when he ran nine. After that, the match was basically over because Peter had no confidence left: 50-28 in 29. Eddy Leppens has not been tested so far. Dutch champion Jean van Erp tried and had a lead halfway: 31-25 after a run of 10. It was Eddy Leppens who had the last word though, when he ran 11 and out in the 23d inning: 50-36.
The top ten after the preliminaries:
1 Eddy Leppens 6-1.973-17
2 Roland Forthomme 6-1.578-8
3 Thorsten Frings 4-1.905-10
4 Martin Horn 4-1.701-14
5 Barry van Beers 4-1.566-13
6 Raimond Burgman 4-1.543-11
7 Eddy Merckx 4-1.292-6
8 Peter Ceulemans 4-1.256-9
9 Martin Spoormans 4-1.224-13
10 Jean van Erp 3-1.154-7.
Semifinals on Wednesday:13.00 uur:
Eddy Leppens-Barry van Beers,
Eddy Merckx-Roland Forthomme.
Peter Ceulemans and Roland Forthomme
Eddy Leppens and Jean van Erp
Thorsten Frings and Eddy Merckx