The Dutch premier league is facing its 11th and final round before the winter break on the day the World Cup starts in Sharm El Sheikh. That has somewhat affected the teams' line-ups, because some players travel early to the holiday and billiard resort on the Red Sea. Peter De Backer, a traditional Egypt-player for instance, was one of the first players to dive into the cool sea in the sunny days before the World Cup start. The players who do still play the 11th round of the league, before leaving to Sharm include Eddy Merckx, Martin Horn, Jeffrey Jorissen, Peter Ceulemans, Robinson Morales and Ronny Lindemann. The autumn champion is already known before the first half concludes on Sunday afternoon. SIS Schoonmaak counts five points ahead of Dekker Keukens, Woonwonder and Cues&Darts and six points ahead of Topbiljart Zundert, that has made a nice climb to the top positions. At the bottom, Post Luchtkanalen and A1 Biljarts are in the last places with J&F Auto's not far away.
SIS Schoonmaak put Eddy Merckx in as the front-runner for an attractive poster against Martin Horn in the home match against Bousema. Jean van Erp against Johan Loncelle is certainly a match not to be predicted and Raimond Burgman and Raymund Swertz face Stefan Galla and Frans van Schaik. Bousema cannot afford too many more missteps to stay in contention for positions in the top half of the rankings.
Dekker Keukens' ambition is to go into the winter as number two and needs the maximum win in the home match against Zundert. The World Cup does not come unfavorably in that respect, as the Zundert team is missing Sam van Etten, who already has to play in Sharm El Sheikh on Monday, and Roland Forthomme, the leader, who is replaced by Thorsten Frings. Dekker will play with Dave Christiani, Barry van Beers, Gerwin Valentijn and Henk Blauwblomme.
Woonwonder sends its superb frontman Ismail Yasin to the front to score important points against number last Post Luchtkanalen. The Turkish frontman is joined by Erwin Kivits, Harrie van de Ven and Frank Martens.
Cues&Darts comes to Sluiskil almost at full strength for the match against Dallinga, as only Pierre Soumagne has to play in Egypt on Sunday. Ruben Legazpi skips the World Cup and is front man for Cues&Darts, Robinson Morales, who won twice against Dick Jaspers in two competitions last week, will no doubt tell his Colombian fans that he gets to play against eternal legend Raymond Ceulemans on Sunday. Morales played once before against the Belgian all time champion: ten years ago in the Verhoeven Open in New York. Then, Ceulemans won 35-31.
At Burgmans Biljarts-Team Eekhoorn, Eddy Leppens-Birol Uymaz is the poster on centre court, for Team Eekhoorn the line-up is: Uymaz, Peter Ceulemans, Frans van Kuyk, Kurt Ceulemans. For Burgmans, Bart Ceulemans faces Frans van Kuyk.
J&F Auto's-A1 Biljarts, important for the occupation of the last positions, has nice matches ahead: Jeffrey Jorissen-Michael Nilsson, Glenn Hofman-Ronny Lindemann, Therese Klompenhouwer-Cengiz Karaka and Herman van Daalen-Richard Bitalis.
DKM Tools league, 11th round, Sunday, December 4
SIS Schoonmaak-Bousema/JBScues
Eddy Merckx-Martin Horn
Jean van Erp-Johan Loncelle
Raimond Burgman-Stefan Galla
Raymund Swertz-Frans van Schaik
Dallinga.com-Cues&Darts/Xtreme
Steven van Acker-Ruben Legazpi
Raymond Ceulemans-Robinson Morales
Berry Dallinga-Jack van Peer
Koen Saver-Nick Zuijkerbuijk
Burgmans Biljarts-Team Eekhoorn
Eddy Leppens-Birol Uymaz
Marc Janssen-Peter Ceulemans
Bart Ceulemans-Frans van Kuyk
Johan Roijers-Kurt Ceulemans
J&F Auto's/Jorissen-A1 Billiards
Jeffrey Jorissen-Michael Nilsson
Glenn Hofman-Ronny Lindemann
Therese Klompenhouwer-Cengiz Karaka
Herman van Daalen-Richard Bitalis
Dekker/APS/Sprundel-STZ Zundert
Dave Christiani-Thorsten Frings
Barry van Beers-Roland Uijtdewillegen
Gerwin Valentijn-Francis Forton
Henk Blauwblomme-Rik van Beers
Woonwonder.com-Post Luchtkanalen
Ismail Yasin-Leslie van Neyen
Erwin Kivits-Marc Celen
Harrie van de Ven-Erwin Hens
Frank Martens-Wilco van Wijk