The top three in the Dutch three cushion premier league has a margin over the other teams at three games from the end and goes into the final stage with the best chances. SIS Schoonmaak (18 games, 29 points), Dekker Keukens (19-25) and Cues&Darts (18-22) are ahead of the long group fighting for tickets in the championship race. Team Eekhoorn, with 18 played, 20 points, leads a group of seven teams just three points from each others. That promises to go into an extremely exciting finale.
This Sunday (7 May), Team Eekhoorn plays in its own billiard arena against the frontrunner SIS Schoonmaak in a busy period for many players. Eddy Merckx and Peter Ceulemans, playing against each other in this round, closed their own Belgian league last week with prominent positions in the rankings. On Friday (5 May), Eddy Merckx played a match in France against Dick Jaspers and Peter Ceulemans also showed up in the French competition against Marco Zanetti. So, this Sunday, they will face each other on Dutch soil, in a match in which further Frans van Kuyk plays against Jean van Erp, Kurt Ceulemans against Raymund Swertz and Jerry Hermans against Martien van der Spoel.
Dekker Keukens and J&F Auto's also face a match with many players who know each other so well. What about Dave Christiani against Jeffrey Jorissen, two Grand Prix top players with the ambition to finish the competition strongly for their team. Barry van Beers against Glenn Hofman is an unpredictable match on beforehand, Gerwin Valentijn, who this week backtracked on his decision to quit Dekker, faces Joey de Kok and Henk Blauwblomme plays Herman van Daalen, who plays for Therese Klompenhouwer (CEB Grand Prix in Valencia).
Bousema and Cues&Darts are certainly also gearing up for a nice fight on the billiards, in which foreign input adds to the quality. On centercourt, for instance, Martin Horn faces Ruben Legazpi and not much below that, Johan Loncelle faces Robinson Morales. German Stefan Galla meets Jack van Peer, Frans van Schaik plays against Wesley de Jaeger.
And finally, there is the match between Dallinga.com and Burgmans Biljarts, where two acquaintances from the PBA league are ready for a nice match: Jean Paul de Bruijn against Eddy Leppens.
All matches for the 20th round of play, Sunday 7 May, to be seen live on kozoom TV:
Team Eekhoorn-SIS Schoonmaak
Peter Ceulemans-Eddy Merckx
Frans van Kuyk-Jean van Erp
Kurt Ceulemans-Raymund Swertz
Jerry Hermans-Martien van der Spoel
Dekker/AS Sprundel-J&F Auto/Jorissen
Dave Christiani-Jeffrey Jorissen
Barry van Beers-Glenn Hofman
Gerwin Valentijn-Joey de Kok
Henk Blauwblomme-Herman van Daalen
Post Luchtkanalen-STZ Zundert
Lesley van Neyen-Roland Forthomme
Marc Celen-Francis Forton
Erwin Hens-Sam van Etten
Huub Adriaanse-Rik van Beers.
Bousema/JBScues-Cues&Darts/Xtreme
Martin Horn-Ruben Legazpi
Johan Loncelle-Robinson Morales
Stefan Galla-Jack van Peer
Frans van Schaik-Wesley de Jaeger
Dallinga.com-Burgmans Biljarts
Jean Paul de Bruijn-Eddy Leppens
Peter De Backer-Anno de Kleine
Steven van Acker-Bart Ceulemans
Berry Dallinga-Johan Roijers