3-Cushion
RIJSBERGEN - The Brabant home team was the only team that won all its matches in the preliminary rounds of the Dutch Cup final. Peter Ceulemans and Barry Beers remained unbeaten for Pressplate Machielsen.fa, Roland Forthomme and Raymon Groot lost one match. Jean van Erp won his three matches for Jorissen and Eddy Leppens for De Uitspanning. The main favourite, the Dallinga/AEJ team, was the winner of the other group, but lost one match point to Biljartcafé Jorissen in the turbulent match on Friday when Jean Paul de Bruijn's match was declared lost by 3-0.
Pressplate Machielsen plays as the group winner against the runner-up of the other group: Biljartcafé Jorissen. Dallinga/AEJ faces MCR/De Uitspanning, that finished second behind Pressplate after winning the decisive match against Van Wanrooy. Frédéric Caudron was the best player in the preliminaries with 2.015 average over three matches ahead of Eddy Merckx 1.600, Eddy Leppens 1.597, Dick Jaspers 1.518, Jean van Erp 1.456, Barry van Beers 1.441, Jef Philipoom 1.364 and Peter Ceulemans 1.234.
Dave Christiani made in his last match against Frank Martens (3-0 win) the highest run (twelve) in the preliminaries.
The highlights came in three tournament days not only from Caudron, Leppens, Jaspers, Christiani and Merckx. Jean van Erp, who had a little slump after his Masters title, surprised with three victories, including against Dick Jaspers.
Jens van Dam, playing for Ripa Recycling/Pearle, had a flawless start against Eddy Merckx (2-1 win) and closed the preliminaries against Jeffrey Jorissen with a 2-1 win and 2.105 average. The young 'Zeeuwse' player, who once stood on the stage of an European championship, had one of his glorious moments. ,,I did a hard study after my junior years in billiards and now have a permanent job as a finance man at the Roompot in Zeeland. So it's impossible to train hard for me.''
Yet there was a smile on his face when he concluded: ,,These matches are always nice to win. I defeated Dick Jaspers in the league and now Eddy Merckx, two world class players and great champions. I'm very happy with that result.''
Biljartcafé Jorissen forced the placement for the semi-finals in the last game against Ripa Recycling by wins for Glenn Hofman vs Francis Forton (2-1, 1.344/1.137), Jean van Erp vs Ronnie Daniels (3-0, 1.500/0.517) and Herman van Daalen vs Dion Bergmans (2-1, 0.863/0571). Jens van Dam defeated Jeffrey Jorissen (2-1), including a flawless run of ten (15-1 in 4 innings in the second set).
MCR/De Uitspanning needed a draw against Van Wanrooy to advance. The Barendrecht team won 6-2 thanks to Eddy Leppens, Dave Christiani and Richard Bitalis. Only Sander Jonen lost to Ad Broeders.
The semi-finals:
Tonight, Saturday, at 20.30:
Dallinga/AEJ-MCR/De Uitspanning:
Eddy Merckx-Richard Bitalis
Jean-Paul de Bruijn-Sander Jonen
Pressplate Machielsen-Biljartcafé Jorissen
Barry van Beers-Jeffrey Jorissen
Raymon Groot-Herman van Daalen.
Tomorrow, Sunday at 11.00:
Dallinga-De Uitspanning:
Frédéric Caudron-Eddy Leppens
Dick Jaspers-Dave Christiani
Pressplate-Jorissen:
Roland Forthomme-Glenn Hoffman
Peter Ceulemans-Jean van Erp.