3-Cushion
SLUISKIL – Frédéric Caudron was once again the man of the day in Sluiskil, with majestic play and a superb average: 50 in 13 innings and a high run of 15. His team Dallinga/Frans Bevers does not stop winning their league matches, this time with a maximum 8-0 at the expense of red lantern carrier Aardexpress.
Team manager Jan Kikken is on cloud nine, and not afraid to make bold statements such as this one: ,,I think that at this time my team is even better than Jaspers, Blomdahl, Horn and Van Erp were in their best years.’’ (referring of course to the dreamteam of Van Donge en De Roo).
That may be a bit much, but it is certain that Dallinga, having won both the title and the Cup last season, is again in the driver’s seat and scored an impressive team average of 1.900 today.
Frédéric Caudron and his many creative solutions to 3-cushion problems were a delight for the Sluiskil crowd and torment for opponent Arie Weijenburg: the Belgian started off slow, 3 i n 3 innings. Then the diesels started humming: 7 innings, 22 points, with runs of 5,6 and 5. Another 5 in the 9th inning, 3 in the 10th, the high run of 15 in the 11th, finishing it off with a 2 and a 3 (50-15 in 13).
Was this one of his best matches ever in the Dutch league? Caudron: ,,My best was also against Arie Weijenburg, in my Crystal Kelly days: 50 in 9 innings. And there were a few 12 inning matches as well.’’
Who could share the stage with this maestro, on the fourth sunday of the league? Raimond Burgman, finalist in the GP in Oosterhout on saturday, now the opponent of Jef Philipoom in the match between De Distel and A1 Biljarts. Burgman won 50-35 in just 17 innings.
Peter De Backer in the second half of his match did not do much worse than his captain Caudron. The man from Aalst had a mediocre start but then went on the offensive and finished with a flourish: a run of 13 in the 24th inning and a closing 4 in the 25th.
It was high runs galore in Sluiskil: Jean Paul de Bruijn made a 12 and finished with a 6 in the 25th inning.
STZ from Zundert did well to reach 2nd place in the standings, by winning the contender match against Holland Mineraal 6-2. Roland Forthomme left Murat Naci Coklu far behind, winning 50-28 in 27 innings, Peter Ceulemans overcame Anno de Kleine in 32, and Barry van Beers bested Stefan Galla in 29 innings.
Biljartcafé Jorissen had a serious setback (painful 8-0 defeat at the hands of Van Wanrooij Transport) with Kurt Ceulemans as the most eyecatching victor against Jean van Erp (50-43 in 36).
De Distel and A1 Biljarts had a 4-4 draw, John Tijssens again playing well: 45-31 in 34 innings against Henk Blauwblomme.
Martin Spoormans carved another notch in his belt. The old master defeated world champion Eddy Merckx 50-42 in 37 innings. His team, Capelle De Terp, drew against Partycentrum Osdorp, which for now is no more than a decent second-level team. Frans van Kuyk and Davy van Havere were victorious for Amsterdam.
Landswelvaren against Verbrugge Hyundai was a duel in the league basement. The derby in Zeeland was convincingly won 8-0 by Landswelvaren. Francis Forton was the best player (40 innings against Bart Ceulemans). The minor match of the day: Jack Wijnen beating Therese Klompenhouwer 50-43 in no less than 66 innings!