3-Cushion
SLUISKIL - The teams in the Dutch league are playing the ninth round of the competition this weekend. The tension on top is growing every week, the battle for the four play-off spots continues.
Two teams have showed themselves the strongest in this first half of the season. TOVV.nl/MCR leads the ranking two points ahead of Dallinga-Frans Bevers.
Two matches get full attention this weekend: the Zeeland derby between Dallinga-Frans Bevers en Landswelvaren/Iets Anders will be played in Sluiskil for a full house undoubtedly.
Frédéric Caudron against Francis Forton is always a great looking affiche: Caudron is the favorite for win of course, but his opponent, Brussel's Forton, is as unpredictable as the sea breeze in Zeeland.
Ronny Daniels and Kees Wittens are traveling with some sentiments to the stronghold: they played for years in Sluiskil. Henk Habraken lacks in the team of Landswelvaren because he's playing in Germany.
Dallinga shows up in its strongest with Caudron, Leppens, De Bruijn and Hofman. The two Belgians after eight rounds are the numbers two and three of the league rankings in averages with 1.937 and 1.918. Murat Naci Coklu Holland Mineral leads the ranking with 2.008.
Another match to look forward is the duel between Eddy Merckx and Davy van Havere: the revenge for the Belgian Cup final, which was won by surprise by Van Havere.
That stunt has not ensured the 30-year old Belgian for great matches in the competitions in which he plays: the leader in the team of FDV Jacoby and BC Deurne player has not yet found his rhythm in Belgium and the Netherlands.
On Sunday he faces Eddy Merckx, his teammate in Belgium, who has to repare his lesser performance with BC Deurne last week.
Snellen Recycling made a little climb on the rank by an intermediate sprint. The team is on its way to a next step in the home game against Van Wanrooij Transport. Roland Forthomme against Kurt Ceulemans is the eye catcher.
Martens Cleaning faces a tough battle in the attempt to consolidate third place. Dekker Keukens is the opponent. Martens is showing up with Spoormans, Raymond Ceulemans, Van Dam and De Zwart, Dekker with Valentijn, Tijssens, Philipoom and Van der Wurf.
Murat Naci Coklu, in a spectacular string of matches, is missing in the team of Holland Mineral. The team is visiting Post Luchtkanalen in Rosmalen, that won his first match against FDV Jacoby last week.
Holland Mineraal plays with Steffan Galla, Anno de Kleine, Jelle Pijl and Stefan Spilleman. Huub Wilkowski is the leader in the team of Post Luchtkanalen, Wesley de Jaeger is missing. Marc Celen, Wilco van Wijk and Marcel van Berkel perform at the other tables.
A1 Biljarts is hosting the Van de Broek Biljarts team. The champion enters without its leaders Nilsson and Nelin. Raimond Burgman is facing Inwon Kang on centrecourt.