Six runners up and 1 target in Dutch league

OOSTERHOUT/SPRUNDEL - The Dutch premier three-cushion league, the Kozoom league, has three rounds to go before the short winter stop and is reaching the halfway point of the competition on Sunday 22 December. The situation on top of the league table is absolutely clear: the front-runner is Babbelz, six teams trailing by three points are chasing that one target. The top match for Sunday (24 November, round 9) at least puts one cracker in the spotlight: Merckx-Caudron. The two top Belgian players meet in the match between Aartbouw, one of the numbers two against Babberlz, the top team with 13 points from eight matches.

Eddy Merckx and Frédéric Caudron happen to be the top two players in average after 8 rounds with 2.137 and 2.067 just ahead of Dick Jaspers (2.037), Martin Horn (1.802) and Glenn Hofman (1.756). The rankings below include averages over  1,400 and players who have played four matches or more.

There in the ranking, notable risers include Raymund Swertz with 1,622 out of 8 and Sam van Etten with 1,500 out of 8.

Aartsbouw faces the important mission to threaten Babbelz this Sunday in front of their own crowd, as reported with Merckx-Caudron as the most beautiful poster for this matchday. The frontrunner travels to Sprundel with further in the team Dion Nelin, Davy van Havere and Jack Wijnen. SIS/Vervoort, in the winning mood, plays the away match against Bousema with Martin Horn-Jean van Erp and Jeffrey Jorissen-Raymund Swertz as appealing matches. Team Eekhoorn plays the Brabant cracker against Zundert, also two teams with 10 match points and thus looking for the sub-top positions. Nick Polychronopoulos and Sam van Etten play on centercourt. Cues&Darts-Dallinga prepares for the match between the two final players at the Masters: Glenn Hofman and Jean Paul de Bruijn. Two Zeeland players face each other: Joey de Kok and Berry Dallinga.

The lead in averages over eight rounds:

1. Eddy Merckx 2,137 (7)
2. Frédéric Caudron 2,067 (7)
3. Dick Jaspers 2,037 (7)
4. Martin Horn 1,802 (4)
5. Glenn Hofman 1.756 (8)
6. Raymund Swertz 1.622 (8)
7. Peter Ceulemans 1.598 (8)
8. Nick Polychronopoulos 1.586 (8)
9. Dion Nelin 1.516 (6)
10. Sam van Etten 1.500 (8)
11. Roland Forthomme 1,483 (8)
12. Anno de Kleine 1.483 (8)
13. Barry van Beers 1.475 (8)
14. Peter De Backer 1.456 (8)
15. Martien van der Spoel 1.436 (5)
16. Raimond Burgman 1.430 (6)
17. Therese Klompenhouwer 1.421 (4)
18. Gerwin Valentijn 1,411 (8).

Top players scoring lower scores so far include Masters winner Jean Paul de Bruijn with 1.242 out of 5 games, Dave Christiani with 1.281 out of 8, Frans van Kuyk with 1.309 out of 8, Jef Philipoom with 1.248 out of 6 and Jeffrey Jorissen with 1.265 out of 8. For Therese Klompenhouwer, the only lady in the premier league, stands a remarkable 1,421 out of 4 games.

Sunday's schedule with the line-ups:

Sunday, November 24, play round 9

Aartsbouw/Domicilil-Team Babbelz

Eddy Merckx-Frédéric Caudron

Ronny Brants-Dion Nelin

Tom Persyn-Davy van Havere

Wesley de Jaeger-Jack Wijnen

Biljartacademie-Paperclip

Roland Forthomme-Dick Jaspers

Roy Zielemans-Anno de Kleine

Paul Wallerand-Dan Breur

Wilco Meusen-Peter van Lieshout

Bousema/JBScues-SIS/Vervoort

Martin Horn-Jean van Erp

Jeffrey Jorissen-Raymund Swertz

Stefan Galla-Martien van der Spoel

Frans van Schaik-Harrie van de Ven

Team Eekhoorn-STZ Zundert

Nick Polychronopoulos-Sam van Etten

Peter Ceulemans-Thorsten Frings

Frans van Kuyk-Rik van Beers

Kurt Ceulemans-Francis Forton

Cues&Darts/Extreme-Dallinga.com

Glenn Hofman-Jean Paul de Bruijn

Jef Philipoom-Steven van Acker

Huub Wilkowski-Peter De Backer

Joey de Kok-Berry Dallinga

RCN Nieuwegein-J&F Auto's/Jorissen

Dave Christiani-Murat Gökmen

Barry van Beers-Kay de Zwart

Gerwin Valentijn-Paul Bruijstens

Henk Blauwblomme-Herman van Daalen

The current standings after eight rounds:

1. Babbelz 13
2. Aartsbouw 10
3. SIS 10
4. RCN 10
5. Cues&Darts 10
6. Team Eekhoorn 10
7. Zundert 10
8. Bousema 8
9. Paperclip 6
10. Dallinga 6
11. J&F Cars 2
12. Biljartacademie 1