3-Cushion
SLUISKIL - Just a little misstep after an incredible strong start of the competition? The Dallinga-Frans Bevers team can permit itself, isn't it, Jan Kikken? ,,Yes, of course, we are not unbeatable'', said the teamleader, ,,and even Frédéric Caudron can lose a match when he is not on his best.'' The 'Zeeuws' team is still topping the league with a riant margin after they played 4-4 in Sluiskil in the home match against De Distel. Jef Philipoom, the former world champion, played the giant killer and defeated Caudron, the current champion.
Jef Philipoom shows his form already for a few weeks with a highlight in the Belgian league, a 50 points match in ten innings. He started with eleven against Caudron in the third inning and later in the match scored two eight runs. Caudron, who looked slightly less sharp, trailed 32-16 in 16 innings, made eleven in the 23rd inning, but couldn't catch up his opponent in the end rush.
And because Eddy Leppens and Glenn Hoffman won for Dallinga against Gerwin Valentijn and Hans van der Wurf (27 and 26 innings), John Tijssens needed a tough match to beat Jean Paul de Bruijn (45-34 in 31) to gain the draw for his team.
Partycentrum Osdorp closed the weekend with two match points out of two: on Sunday in the away match against STZ Zundert, where Dick Jaspers (50-44 in 22 vs Forthomme) and Eddy Merckx (50-32 in 20 against Ceulemans) were starring in a full house ambiance. Merckx had a flying start with 18-3 in four and after a run of ten 28-3 in five innings. Peter Ceulemans scored eleven in the equalizer.
Barry van Beers seemed on his way to victory against Frans van Kuyk with small runs at the end, but he missed the match ball. Van Kuyk then finished with three, Van Beers scored his last point for the draw. Sander Jonen dealed with Raimon Groot in an easy match. ,,I was always ten points or some more ahead'', said Jonen, who needed eight innings for his last two points.
On Saturday, in the away match against Holland Mineraal, the Amsterdam team came down with only one match win: Merckx against Murat Naci Coklu (50-43 in 38). Anno de Kleine surprised Frans van Kuyk 50-43, Steffan Galla defeated Dick van Uum. Stefan Spilleman beat, including a run of fourteen, Sander Jonen.
Mineral Holland won its second match as well: again in a home match, now against 'Landswelvaren: 8-0. Anno de Kleine did just enouth to end one point ahead of Ronnie Daniels. Murat Naci Coklu closed off with a ten against Francis Forton.
Biljartcafé Jorissen and Capelle-de Terp shared the points in The Hague with a second loss in this competition for Martin Spoormans. Jean van Erp defeated the maestro 50-46 in 37 innings including runs of eleven and nine, but eventually with a close finish. Richard Bitalis got the better of his old friend and competitor, Raymond Ceulemans (50-25).
Sponsor/team leader and player Jeffrey Jorissen, who was already very strong in the Grand Prix in Capelle aan den Ijssel, finished a way to far for Ad Koorevaar (45-29 in 20). Jorissen was leading 25-11 when Koorevaar came back in the match with eight to 29-26. Jorissen answered with (also) eight and took the win. Emilio Sciacca Capelle) finished with eight against Herman van Daalen.
A1 Biljarts won the home match against Van Wanrooij Transport 6-2 without spectacular scores. Raimond Burgman had a slow start, but outsprinted Kurt Ceulemans with a strong final shot: 3, 4, 2, 1, 9 and 3 (22 points in six innings).
Garage Verbrugge Hyundai won the four points match in the lower parts of the ranks against Aardexpress 3-5: Therese Klompenhouwer and Patrick Vasseur took the full profit, Berry Dallinga was the match winner in a hard-fought duel with Hermse: 45-45.