ROSMALEN - The Dutch cup final for teams goes to a climax on Saturday with the foursomes of Cues&Darts from Tilburg and Bousema from Lochem. Three Brabant teams and one Gelderland foursome battled for the top spots on the penultimate day after a marathon of preliminary rounds across the country. The final for the cup with the big ears brings four Dutch players, one Belgian, one Turk, one Spaniard and one Frenchman to the match tables in the Perron 3 arena in Rosmalen this Saturday. The conclusion, despite the numbers of spectators being slightly disappointing may already be: at least the Dutch cup final in sets, with Scotch Double and knock-outs is never boring. In all discussions, that argues for maintaining the system.
It was always exciting in the run-up to the final day, again in the semi-final between Bousema and Aartsbouw that was decided in a Scotch Double. And not one top premier league player was invulnerable in the last few days. Not even Glenn Hofman, who shone at global level in the last two World Cups. The Hague stormer of the rankings will be in the final tomorrow with Cues&Darts thanks to his three teammates. Hofman himself was twice beaten 15-14 in a nice battle by Anno de Kleine, a routine player so feared for his highlights against better players.
Burgmans Biljarts from Bergeijk eventually had to leave the theatre stage after a sensational win against SIS Schoonmaak in the Scotch Double on the first day and an honorable loss against Cues&Darts on the third day 6-2. The match between Bousema and Aartsbouw did end in a Scotch Double. There, Bousema proved the strongest with 15-4, partly due to a capital miss by Dirk Weeremans. He played on 5-2 with the wrong ball: players are allowed to coach each other in this game, but Ronny Brants, his teammate at the edge of the arena, didn’t say anything when Weeremans played with the wrong ball.
Never were games predictable so far in the cup final, always sensations were lurking. Like in the match between Glenn Hofman and Anno de Kleine and also between Ruben Legazpi and Bart Ceulemans. Although it was 4-0 for Cues&Darts at the break after victories by Huub Wilkowski against Johan Roijers (2-0, 1.304 and 0.863) and Pierre Soumagne against Marco Janssen (2-0, 1.764 and 0.812). But after the enforced break, Glenn Hofman was thus floored by Anno de Kleine and Bart Ceulemans remained level with Ruben Legazpi at 15-14 in the second set. The Belgian went all out for a win (and a second Scotch Double after Wednesday), but ran into the strong Legazpi in the third set: 15-10 (averages 1.517/1.250).
Jeffrey Jorissen and Johan Loncelle could not give the other games between Bousema Lochem and Aartsbouw Sprundel (2-2 at the break) a quick decision either. The score was 2-2 after wins by Ad Broeders over Frans van Schaik (2-0, 1.034/0.571, run 11 by Broeders) and by Gökhan Salman against Tom Persyn (2-0, 1.875/0.600, run10 Salman).
Ronny Brants then lacked the attacking power of the previous day and lost to Jeffrey Jorissen, who showed a bit more flair in his play (15-8, 15-10). Aartsbouw’s other Belgian, Dirk Weeremans, saved his team by a 2-0 win over Johan Loncelle (15-12 and 15-14). That made the Scotch Double necessary to designate the second finalist. Bousema, with Jeffrey Jorissen and Gökhan Salman, took advantage of that early mistake by Aartsbouw and played their way into the final.
Bousema Lochem-Cues&Darts will start Saturday morning at 11.00 am with the four players of the teams playing against each other. The winner is the team that has won 9 sets first.
Matches can be followed live on Kozoom.
Gökhan Salman cheered by his teammate after the winning point
Dirk Weeremans, strong match, but a costly mistake in Scotch Double
Glenn Hofman and Ruben Legazpi with Cues&Darts to the final after win against Burgmans Biljarts
Anno de Kleine was the better of Glenn Hofman twice 15-14
Pierre Soumagne, strong performance with Cues&Darts
Ad Broeders in a nice pose during his match for Aartsbouw