3-Cushion
MERKSEM/TURNHOUT - The cards have been shuffled in the final phase of the Belgian top division in three cushion. The battle for the championship now focuses on the two leaders, De Goeie Queue and BC Deurne. The main pursuer, Op de Meir, lost touch on the 18th match day and is now seven points down from De Goeie Queue. The Frédéric Caudron team is the only leader again after BC Deurne's draw against De Witte Molen.
The highlight in this round was the 14-run Frédéric Beghin scored for Kortrijk, the highest score of all 48 players. The shortest match was played by Eddy Merckx of Quality Zele with a win over Roland Forthomme: 50-36 in 20 innings, an average of 2.500.
Frédéric Caudron, Wesley Jaeger and Jerry Hermans showed how important team spirit is in the leader's foursome. Jean Paul de Bruijn, in excellent form in recent months with high averages, suffered three losses in a row in the league, more or less unlucky. The team performance nevertheless only faltered against Deurne.
Caudron set the tone this week in the away match against Biljartvrienden with a victory over Raimond Burgman (starting 23-4 in 8 innings), despite a strong final part of the Dutchman (5, 4, 3 and 9), ending in 50-27 in 22. Jean Paul de Bruijn had a slow start against John Tijssens, but with 28 points in the last nine innings, the match turned into a thrilling finish. Tijssens escaped from De Bruijn's match ball and won one carom ahead (50-49 in 27). Wesley de Jaeger and Jerry Hermans, both with 42 in 30 innings, took the 4-0 lead before the break.
Torbjörn Blomdahl and Jean van Erp both led the fight for BC Deurne with victories against Glenn Hoffman (50-23 in 22) and Ad Broeders (42-23 in 26), but after the loss of Jef Philipoom against Francis Forton (50-37 in 35) and Davy van Havere against Dirk Weeremans, the score remained in balance. And after Deurne's point loss, De Goeie Queue is the only leader.
,,We have the fate in our own hands now'', summed Caudron. ,,When we manage to win our last four games, we are the Belgian champions. But the road is still long and full of obstacles. We play three more away matches, against Kortrijk, Zanzibar and Mr. 100 and once at home against Op de Meir. But in any case, we will fight until the end.''
BC Biljart Express was the black beast for Op de Meir in the battle for the position on the second row. The Turnhout team returned back home with a 6-2 victory, thanks to strong matches of Gerwin Valentijn (50-38 in 28 against Barry van Beers) and Martin Spoormans (42-36 in 24 against Roland Uijtdewillegen). The battle between the leaders, Eddy Leppens and Frans van Kuyk, ended in a win for Leppens 50-40 in 25. The Belgian started with 11 and was leading 33-9 in 10 innings.
Zanzibar triumphed, despite Eddy Merckx' win against Forthomme against Quality 6-2, including in an exciting fight between Dave Christiani and Peter De Backer (50-48 in 35). Mister 100, again with Raymond Ceulemans in the ranks, back in competition after his surgery, defeated De Ploeg 6-2. Therese Klompenhouwer had a better start than Peter Ceulemans, 11-4 in seven, but Peter dominated the match at the end with 32 points in his last eight innings (50-27 in 24).
BC Herentals travelled to Kortrijk and returned with a draw. Martin Horn defeated Ronny Brants 50-29 in 22 including a 13-run. Down the ranking, Biljartvrienden and De Ploeg have to worry on the last spots with 8 points, four points behind Kortrijk, six points behind De Witte Molen.
Eddy Merckx, best match with a victory over Roland Forthomme
John Tijssens left his opponent Jean Paul de Bruijn one point behind