MALLE - The Dutchman Frans van Kuyk as exemplary leader in the team of Biljart Express, that managed to defeat the leader of the Belgian league. De Goeie Queue lost in its own house 6-2 and has been passed on top by BC Deurne, that has the better match numbers after the team won the home match against Mr. 100 Lier 6-2. The most remarkable result of the day: Frans van Kuyk who outplayed Frédéric Caudron 50-20 in eighteen innings after a run of thirteen in his second inning.
After the great startt, Van Kuyk was never threatened by Caudron, who couldn’t show his dreaded runs. ,,I did’nt even have a bad day, but Frans started very strong and I got just a few opportunities '', was Caudron’s comment afterwards. Van Kuyk led already 28-9 at the break and finish then smoothly.
It was the decisive match in the meeting, because before the break the home player Jean Paul de Bruijn lost to Martin Spoormans (42-36 in 34) and Jerry Hermans to Guy van Litsenborg (42-30 in 49). The victory of Eddy Merckx over Gerwin Valentijn 50-23 in 29 only numbed the pain for De Goeie Queue.
The two rivals in the top three, BC Deurne and KBC Zanzibar, took advantage after the slip of the reigning champion. Zanzibar had a walkover against DOS Roeselare 8-0 (Forthomme best winner with 1.851, Christiani 1.515). BC Deurne needed a tougher fight in the match against the Ceulemans bastion. The youngest of the team, Bart Ceulemans played an excellent match and defeated Davy van Havere 42-22 in 26. Jean van Erp is still on his cloud nine, beat Raymond Ceulemans (42-18 in 24) and is ready for the World championship in Viersen, where he plays along with Dick Jaspers for the Netherlands this week.
With the 2-2 on the scoreboard, the two leaders of the home team finished it off. Torbjörn Blomdahl grew into the match after a difficult start against Peter Ceulemans, who led 26-21 in 15 at the break. ,,I made eleven and eight in a short time, which made the match prettig good for me’’, said Blomdahl, who won 50-29 in 20. Peter Ceulemans: ,,Torbjörn scored so terribly after the break, that I could not follow him.’’ Jef Philipoom and Kurt Ceulemans matched until the 46-44 score, when the Deurne player, made the four key points to win the match.
Two teams ranked in the midst, Op de Meir from Eddy Leppens and De Witte Molen from Glenn Hoffman, fought a great battle, in which the matches between Barry van Beers and Francis Forton and Roland Uijtdewillegen and Ad Brothers could go either way. Eddy Leppens shone with a 16-run against Glenn Hoffman, after 14-14 in 13 at halftime. Leppens won 50-38 in 26. Forton defeated Van Beers 50-48 in 39 and Uijtdewillegen shared the points with Broeders (42-42 in 40). The 5-3 win went to Op de Meir thanks to Ivan Stitschinsky, who took the final sprint against Weeremans (42-38 in 39),
Without the two German leaders Martin Horn and Christian Rudolph, who are training for the World championships in Viersen, BC Herentals went down in the match against De Ploeg. Jaak Wijnen (50 in 31), Mathy Monnissen (in 55) and Therese Klompenhouwer (39) took the victoies (39) over Leon Smolders, Geert Meylemans and Michel Mens.
Biljartvrienden left its place at the bottom of the ranking by a 6-2 victory over De Ploeg 2. Raimond Burgman was the best for his team: 50 in 31 innings against Eddy Willems.
BC Deurne and De Goeie Queue top the ranking after sixteen rounds with 28 points followed by Zanzibar 27, Biljart Express with 20 and Mister 100 with 19.