3-Cushion
The match was played on a very high level and the news before was not so bad to know. Frédéric Caudron and Eddy Merckx, who played in the early morning hours for the seventh and eighth place in the Agipi Masters (Merckx won 50-43 in 20 innings), both will make a remarkable transfer at the end of this season.
Caudron's decision doesn't surprise, because the team of Crystal Kelly in the Netherlands stops the sponsoring after many years. ,,I am will play definitely in Sluiskil'', said the Belgian before his match. ,,Then we have three Belgians in the team with Eddy Leppens, peter de Backer and me, but we make a roulation. The plan is preliminary that I will play sixteen matches and the other players fourteen.''
Eddy Merckx leaves the team of BC Deurne after two succesful years. Last year the won the title in the second division, this week they can be the for sure will be the new Belgian champion in the highest league. Jef Philipoom has told the team a few weeks ago that he will make a transfer to De Ploeg after this season. The champion thus loses his two leaders. Merckx has not yet announced where he will play next year.
,,I spoke with the sponsor and I leave without problems'', said Merckx, who last week received another offer. ,,I had understood that BC Deurne wanted to quit, but now they probably will have another team next year. That's good to know.''
The match between Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron, for the last two places in the final round, was a replay of the Belgian final in January. Then Merckx won by one carom, now the score was 50-43 after a match on a very high level. After twelve innings Merckx led even 39-30, in fourteen innings the later winner had an advantage of twelve points (46-34). He needed six more innings to make his last four points.
The average of both players: Merckx 2.500, Caudron 2.263.