KAPELLE - The Dutch league gets his showdown in the weekend of 25 and 26 May when the final of the play-offs will be played. Four teams battle for the title: Dallinga/Frans Bevers from Sluiskil, the leader after the regular competition, TOVV.nl/MCR from Vlaardingen, Snellen Recycling from Zundert and Martens Cleaning from Kapelle.
Martens Cleaning grabbed fourth place on the final day with a draw (4-4) against TOVV, but was also helped by A1 Biljarts. The reigning champion lost two points in the double weekend and therefore was eliminated for a place in the play-offs.
The final weekend was not only marked by the battle for the top spots. There was also very bad news on Sunday: the teamsponsor of TOVV.nl/MCR has told the players that they can look for another team, because the sponsor will quit.
That means for Eddy Merckx, Frans van Kuyk, Dave Christiani and Richard Bitalis that they are without a sponsor in the Netherlands next year.
There was another bad message: also for Martens Cleaning it will be over after this season. The main sponsor withdraws and the playing room in De Vroone is no longer available. Teamleader Joop van den Oudenhoven has not given up all hope to find a new sponsor and a room, but it's unlikely.
Dick Jaspers, Martin Spoormans, Raymond Ceulemans, Jean van Erp and the young players Kay de Zwart and Jens van Dam have to find a new team as well.
The news disturbed a wonderful day, on which so many protagonists came to the table in Kapelle.
The former emperor, Raymond Ceulemans, the current world champion, Eddy Merckx and another world class player, Dick Jaspers entered the playing room for the deciding game on the final day.
Raymond Ceulemans himself announced the top match between Dick Jaspers and Eddy Merckx. The tension was still there when they started the game, but disappeared after some minutes, when it was clear that A1 Biljarts spoiled his second point of the weekend.
Dick Jaspers against Eddy Merckx, in a full house, was announced as a special match. The Belgian beat his opponent at the World championship in Viersen in a dazzling match, 40-38 after a fantastic final sprint of Merckx.
On Sunday, in Kapelle, Jaspers got his revenge in a match that he dominated from the start. The frontrunner in the team of Martens, who only played three matches and therefore cannot perform in the play-offs, won the game 50-32 in 30 innings.