SPRUNDEL/OOSTERHOUT - The Dutch premier league match was played between two world class players, one was mostly at the table, the other mostly in his chair. Eddy Merckx had the magic touch in the match against Tayfun Tasdemir, who he quickly trailed 17-3 and some moments later finished with 13 for a final 40-19 score in eight innings. That means an average of 5,000 and without a doubt already one of the very best matches in the whole year. Merckx's fantastic attack was reminiscent of a fortnight ago at the Belgian championship, when he also launched such an improbable attack against Peter Ceulemans and claimed the win a few innings later.

That very best Merckx was again in a wonderful race this Sunday in the 13th round of the Kozoom league, the Dutch premier league. The miraculous Belgian made an attempt to still save the score for his team Aartsbouw, after falling 0-4 at the break against Bousema, but Ronny Brants lost the last game against Jeffrey Jorissen 40-26 in 42 innings. Tom Persyn and Wesley de Jaeger lost the other games to Gökhan Salman and Johan Loncelle.

Top Dutchman Dick Jaspers, playing for Paperclip, came close to his Belgian colleague, in his match with Jean van Erp and raced to the finish after 12-12 unstoppable: 40-17 in 12 innings with runs of 8, 5 and 12 in that final stage. That did not help his team's success for Jaspers either. Paperclip lost the match against SIS/Vervoort 2-6. Another standout in that match was Harrie van de Ven, who won against Peter van Lieshout 40-6(!) in 19 innings.

It was a match day when the top ranked teams were vulnerable. Team Babbelz played the home game against Dallinga and was level at 3-3 shortly after the break, after Jean Paul de Bruijn's win against Savas Bulut (40-29 in 22). The decision had to come in the match between Davy van Havere and Steven van Acker, two Belgians normally matched. Davy van Havere (Babbelz) played out at 40-35, his opponent went for the equalizer and played out with five, the last two of which were great balls: a long bankshot and a follow-through with double the short and once the long rail. That yielded 40-40 in 37 and a 4-4 tie in the match itself.

Babbelz thus surrendered a match point and saw Team Eekhoorn, STZ Zundert, Cues&Darts and Bousema gain one point. Team Eekhoorn is now second on four points. In their strong line-up, the camping boys won against De Biljartacademie 2-6 after wins by Eddy Leppens, Peter Ceulemans and Frans van Kuyk in 28, 30 and 32 innings. The leader, Nick Polychronopoulos, was beaten by Roland Forthomme by 40-36 in 18.

Cues&Darts recorded a costly, hard-fought victory over RCN Nieuwegein with scores that were very close. Barry van Beers with a nice final sprint came to a draw against Pierre Soumagne (40-40 in 21 innings). Huub Wilkowski won 40-38 vs Gerwin Valentijn in 26 and Joey de Kok 40-39 in 31 against Henk Blauwblomme. Only Dave Christiani won for Nieuwegein against Jef Philipoom 40-20 in 24. For Zundert, Sergio Jimenez, Sam van Etten and Francis Forton won in the match against J&F Auto's against Murat Gökmen, Kay de Zwart and Herman van Daalen in 42, 24 and 33 innings. Only Paul Bruijstens grabbed the win for the Hague side against Adrien Tachoire 40-32 in 33.

Dick Jaspers seems ready for the Masters: 40 in 12