3-Cushion
BARENDRECHT - The final decision for four places in the playoffs in the Dutch league three cushion has been taken. Two days before the end of the competition, MCR/De Uitspanning recorded an important, though narrow victory in the home match against De Distel Biljarts (7-1). Therefor De Distel Biljarts has been eliminated for the final round. Dallinga/AEJ, MCR/De Uitspanning, Pressplate Machielsen.fa and Biljartcafé Jorissen battle for the Dutch championship. The positions 1 to 4, to complete the matches for the semi-finals are not yet known.
De Distel lost its last chance in an unfortunate match against De Uitspanning, when Jef Philipoom lost on one carom to Eddy Leppens (50-49 in 37), John Tijssens played a draw against Richard Bitalis, who made six from the spots and Gerwin Valentijn who was three points down against Dave Christiani. ,,What a strange game is three-cushion'', concluded Christiani after the match. ,,I was 8-0 behind after four innings, seven innings later I had 44 and I needed another fifteen innings to finish.''
De Distel is out for the finals now, because there is a difference of 17 game points with Jorissen. The competition gets a disappointing end for the Brabant team, that was seen as one of the contenders for the play-offs with Frans van Kuyk, Jef Philipoom, John Tijssens and Gerwin Valentijn. Pressplate is provisionally on third place after the victory over Post Luchtkanalens 7-1. ,,We were not super today, all four, but it is still a good result'', said Barry van Beers.
Biljartcafé Jorissen is fourth. The Hague team defeated Capelle 7-1. Glenn Hoffman lost the only point to Martin Spoormans, who closed a big gap with a run of thirteen and scored twice in the equalizer. Jean van Erp had a strong start with eleven, in the second half Danny Breur dictated the match, but yet Van Erp finished with six to secure the win.
In the last two rounds, the competition focuses on the relegation places. Capelle-De Terp is already out, three teams are still in the fight for the second last place: HCR Prinsen, Post Luchtkanalen and Ripa Recycling.
These three teams lost on the twentieth matchday. Ripa Recycling had no chance against Van Wanrooy (8-0) with the best match for Kurt Ceulemans who defeated Francis Forton (50-37 in 28).
Hotel Prinsen could match with A1 Biljarts before the break by a victory of Raymund Swertz vs Addie Wienk and Henk Blauwblomme who beat Michel van Silfhout. A1 Billiards then pulled the trigger. Raimond Burgman had a perfect start with 12 and 9 against Anno de Kleine and won 50-31 in 28. Martien van der Spoel defeated Dave van Geel 50-33 in 34.
Post Luchtkanalen was beaten by Pressplate in a moderate match. Roland Forthomme was the best winner in 37 innings.
The leader Dallinga/AEJ, playing without Eddy Merckx, had a narrow escape in the away match at Holland Mineraal, because Jean Paul de Bruijn lost before the break to Jelle Pijl (50-49 in 39) and Bart Ceulemans, substitute for Merckx, barely played a draw (50-50 in 62).
Dick Jaspers (in 24 innings) and Frédéric Caudron (30) won their matches against Frans van Schaik (50-32) and Stefan Galla (50-43).
The matches for the final two rounds are:
21th matchday:
Dallinga-Van Wanrooy, Holland Mineraal-Post Luchtkanalen, Pressplate-Prinsen, A1-MCR, De Distel-Capelle, Jorissen-Ripa.
22nd matchday:
A1-Capelle, Post Luchtkanalen-Dallinga, Ripa-De Distel, MCR-Pressplate, Princen-Holland Mineraal, Van Wanrooy-Jorissen.
The ranking at the bottom:
Prinsen 14 points
Post Luchtkanalen 13 points
Ripa 12 points
Capelle 7 points.