OOSTERHOUT - The Dutch number one will not shine on the last day at the cup final, because Dick Jaspers has other obligations. ,,I have to give an exhibition somewhere, which was in my planning for half a year. That's an agreement and I have to deal with that.'' It weakens his team of Prinsen, but on the other hand, Eddy Leppens is now the leader and the Belgian is in a great form. The number one in the world is also missing for the climax on Saturday, because Frédéric Caudron and his team were eliminated for a podium place. Dallinga, the titleholder and four-time winner in the last five editions, was defeated by SIS Schoonmaak from The Hague in the deciding match of the pre-rounds.
In the semi-finals on Saturday at 11.00 and 13.30 plays L&B Ledermode against SIS Schoonmaak and STZ Zundert against HCR Prinsen. The final, in two parts, is at 16.00 and 18.30.
In the last session of the pre-rounds, Jean van Erp traversed the dreams of the titleholder by a win against Jean Paul de Bruijn after a first set win (15-12 in 9) to hand out the knockout with a quick 15-3 in 4 innings. That was enough for SIS Schoonmaak, because the Hague team led 4-0 after the first two matches and one win was enough in the second round.
Frédéric Caudron started brilliant against Glenn Hoffman with a 13-opening, took that first set 15-1 in 4, but the match was in balance again after Hofman's 15-12. And then, by the Hague 2-0 at the other table, the last of the four semi-finalists was known. Caudron won the match against Hofman 2-1, Van Erp bested De Bruijn 2-1. The basis for the success was laid for the Hague team in the afternoon parties, in which Raimond Burgman excelled in his match against Steven van Acker (3-0, 2.500) and Jeffrey Jorissen showed a master piece against Berry Dallinga. De Hague player trailed 13-2 in the deciding set and escaped at 15-14.
The numbers one in the groups, STZ Zundert and HCR Prinsen, closed the preliminaries with maximum wins over W.v.d.Sanden and MCR. Eddy Leppens was on his best with a 3-0 against Emilio Sciacca and 3.214 on average. Dick Jaspers defeated Thorsten Frings 2-1, Raymund Swertz had a superior start (15 in 4 and 15 and 7). Peter Ceulemans was the best winner for Zundert with 1.258.
Roland Forthomme didn't play for Zundert, plagued by an injury in the back that radiates pain to his leg. ,,There is nothing to worry, so I can play on Saturday.'' Dinand Prinsen brings Eddy Leppens to the number one position in the semi-finals. The team boss, about the absence of Dick Jaspers: ,,That's a pity, but I knew before that he could not be with us on the final day. I don't even know why he is prevented. More important for us is that he can play in the play-offs.''
The final ranking in the two groups:
Group A:
1 STZ Zundert 3-6-1.206-11
2 SIS Cleaning 3-4-1.294-10
3 Dallinga.com 3-2-1.313-13
4 W.v.d.Sanden 3-0-0.740-6
Group B:
1 L & B Ledermode 3-6-1.232-11
2 HCR Princes 3-4-1.379-10
3 La Plaza 3-2-0.841-7
4 MCR 3-0-0.801-8.
The L&B team with Merckx, Christiani, Valentijn and Tijssens
The Zundert team with Uijtdewillegen, Van Beers, team leader Jan van Kerkoerle, Ceulemans and Forthomme