ZUNDERT - The four teams for the play-offs in the Dutch premier league are known. This Saturday, Topbiljart Zundert and Cues&Darts definitely qualified as numbers 3 and 4 and play each other, looking for a date for the match in Zundert. The first option is Wednesday 15 May, but that is just a suggestion. The winner of that match plays Team Eekhoorn in the next match and minor problems loom for that date as well because of the World Cup in Vietnam (20-26 May) and the Grand Prix in Rosmalen. The Zundert team will play in that first match with Sergio Jimenez, Thorsten Frings, Francis Forton and Sam van Etten. Cues&Darts with Glenn Hofman, Ruben Legazpi, Pierre Soumagne and Huub Wilkowski.
The four positions were finalized today, Saturday, in the 21st round of Kozoom league. SIS Schoonmaak and Team Eekhoorn were already known, Topbiljart won 0-8 away against Burgmans Biljarts and Cues&Darts played a draw away against Team Eekhoorn.
The most notable matches in this round were those of Eddy Merckx against Dave Christiani, in which the Belgian took a 21-0 lead after starting 9-2-0-10 and eventually played out with 8: Merckx won 40-9 in 12. Another top match came from Glenn Hofman in his match against Nikos Polychronopoulos, won by the Dutchman 40-24 in 14. For Team Eekhoorn, Peter Ceulemans played a very strong game: he beat Jef Philipoom 40-19 in 16 innings. Barry van Beers was a brilliant winner in the Brabant clash against Jean van Erp 40-13 in 15. Dion Nelin was also among the day's best players with a win over Steven van Acker: 40-16 in 16. Turgay Orak needed only 18 innings to beat Jeffrey Jorissen 40-29.
SIS Schoonmaak won the home match against Dekker 6-2, which meant elimination for the playoffs for Dekker. Eddy Merckx, Raymund Swertz and Martien van der Spoel were the winners for SIS. Raimond Burgman will not play this weekend as he celebrates his 60th birthday this Sunday.
Topbiljart Zundert took the maximum score at Burgmans after wins by Frings, Van Etten, Forton and Geysen. At Team Eekhoorn-Cues&Darts, the win for the home team was for Peter and Kurt Ceulemans, at Ces&Darts for Glenn Hofman and Pierre Soumagne.
Aartsbouw Sprundel and Bousema/JBScues remained in balance including a nice battle on centrecourt, in which Martin Horn won against Tayfun Tasdemir 40-38 in 21. DKM Tools played its way to the safe middle ground by winning in the away match against Dallinga.com 6-2. Peter De Backer was the only winner for Zeeland's home team against Ronny Lindemann 40-39 in 31. Birol Uymaz beat Jean Paul de Bruijn 40-35 in 28, Davy van Havere won against Raymond Ceulemans 40-20 in 25.
The battle at the bottom against relegation centres on four teams. Team Nachtwacht is already definitely disappearing from the premier league due to its 4-4 against J&F Auto's. For Team Nachtwacht, Erwin Kivits and Harrie van de Ven won, while for J&F Auto's, Joey de Kok and Herman van Dallen were winners.
Tomorrow, Sunday, it will be between J&F Auto's, Burgmans Biljarts and Aartsbouw Sprundel which team will finish on 11 (direct relegation) and which team on 10 (relegation match against Post Luchtkanalen).
There have been a few changes in the schedules for Sunday. The line-ups are now:
Sunday 22nd round:
STZ Zundert-SIS Schoonmaak
Thorsten Frings-Eddy Merckx
Sam van Etten-Jean van Erp
Francis Forton-Raymund Swertz
Danny Geysen-Martien van der Spoel
Dekker/APSprundel-Team Eekhoorn
Dave Christiani-Nikos Polychronopoulos
Barry van Beers-Frans van Kuyk
Gerwin Valentijn-Kurt Ceulemans
Henk Blauwblomme-Jerry Hermans
Cues&Darts/Xtreme-Burgmans Biljarts
Glenn Hofman-Anno de Kleine
Pierre Soumagne-Marco Janssen
Huub Wilkowski-Andy de Bondt
Jack van Peer-Johan Roijers
Bousema/JBScues-J&F Auto/New Jorissen
Martin Horn-Murat Gökmen
Jeffrey Jorissen-Kay de Zwart
Stefan Galla-Joey de Kok
Frans van Schaik-Herman van Daalen
DKM Tools-Aartsbouw Sprundel
Birol Uymaz-Tayfun Tasdemir
Dion Nelin-Turgay Orak
Roland Uijtdewillegen-Ronny Brants
Jack Wijnen-Tom Persyn
Team Nachtwacht-Dallinga.com
Erwin Kivits-Jean Paul de Bruijn
Harrie van de Ven-Steven van Acker
Frank Martens-Peter De Backer
Frits Broeders-Berry Dallinga