3-Cushion
ANTWERP - The Belgian super tandem Eddy Merckx/ Frédéric Caudron is in preparation for the World championship for nation teams and showed his fantastic form in the Belgian league. In the match between BC Deurne and De Goeie Queue, in a full house on Monday night, Caudron sparkled with an starting run of twenty against Torbjörn Blomdahl and Eddy Merckx played a fabulous game against Dutch champion Jean van Erp.
De Goeie Queue won the encounter 6-2: Jean Paul de Bruijn was the only player in the super team who lost his match. He was beaten by Davy van Havere. Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx defend the World title for nation teams from February 26 to March 1.
Eddy Merckx' victory (42-23 in ten innings) was built up by runs of 11 in the fourth and 10 in the seventh. The Belgian was surprised the other day by good news from the Asian championship in Seoul, where the world champion Sung-Won Choi was eliminated in the first round. Thereby Merckx is back on top at the world ranking, with the same points as Choi.
Frédéric Caudron had a brilliant start in his match against Torbjörn Blomdahl. The Swede started off with two from the spots, Caudron answered with a great run of twenty in the first inning. That start seemed decisive for the match, although Blomdahl still came back to 36-33 in the sixteenth inning. Caudron, however, finished with eight for the match: 50-37 in twenty innings.
Jef Philipoom could bend the score to a draw after his promising start Dick Jaspers. ,,I was 29-9 ahead, but then I lost my way'', Philipoom commented later. Jaspers eventually closed down winning 50-47 in 38.
Davy van Havere defeated Jean Paul de Bruijn before the break 42-30 in 25 innings (1.680 for the winner).
Eddy Merckx played his match against Jean van Erp in ten innings (average 4200)
BC Deurne's loss throws the team back to fourth place in the ranking. BC Herentals, after a 6-2 win vs De Ploeg 2, rises to second place and Op de Meir is number three after the victory against De Ploeg 1.
Two other Belgian World championship players, were the stars of the thirteenth round. Roland Forthomme shone for Zanzibar in the match against Bruges with a big margin. He beat Henk Blauwblomme (50-10 in 19) and recorded 2.631. Thereby he was the best on average after Eddy Merckx (4.200). Eddy Leppens defeated Ronny Lindemann 50-26 in 25 innings.
KBC Zanzibar sent home the number last, KBC Bruges, without any chance with an 8-0 score and poor scores in the individual matches. Koen Saver took 39 caroms, Blauwblomme (10 points), Leys (16) and Vasseur (16) had a complete off-day.
Sint Truiden recorded an important win in the relegation battle with Biljartvrienden (6-2). The rookie takes a lead of four points on its competitor Biljartvrienden and five on Bruges. Thomas Broux was best man for Sint Truiden 50-42 in 30 against John Tijssens.
BC Biljart Express shared the win with BC De Witte Molen: Glenn Hofmann defeated Frans van Kuyk 50-33 in 31 innings, Guy Litsenborg was a bright spot for Biljart Express with 1.750.
Martin Horn and Christian Rudolph took the full win for BC Herentals, which was in a good position at the break (2-2). Geert Meylemans was the third winner for the number two in the ranking.
The highest team average was played by De Goeie Queue with 1.849, the highest run was for Frédéric Caudron 20.