PARIS - The reigning French team champion CetSi Morangis played a draw against Albert in the fifth of six matches for the preliminary. The Albertins performed without their Joker Dion Nelin. The two teams in Group A therefore remain unbeaten: CetSi with three wins and two draws, Albert with two wins and three draws. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs.
The Belgians in the CetSi team, Eddy Merckx and Eddy Leppens, defeated their compatriots Peter and Kurt Ceulemans 50-25 in 29 and 50-39 in 27 innings. Albert levelled the score by the players on three and four: Cédric Melnytschenko and Xavier Roy defeated Bitalis Richard and Jean Reverchon 50-36 at 42 and 50-42 in 45.
The average of Morangis was 1.245, Albert recorded 1.147.
The meeting between Villeneuve d'Ascq and Saint-Maur in this group is played on 26 March.
Eddy Merckx bested Peter Ceulemans