The current Middlesea Life Valletta National League has progressed through week 10 at the Eden Super Bowl, just one week remaining in this, the first of two rounds.

Aercomms were 8-0 winners once again this week over Ramis to open up a considerable 17-point lead at the top of division one, while Fina First beat Storm 6-2 to move up into second place.

The shock result of the week was the 0-8 thrashing of Fina Excel by The Rascals who were previously bottom of the division, but are now in 11th place, as Excel slip to third. There was also a full point win for the Alley Catz against the Blues Brothers, while Right Deal pulled off a 6-2 win against Globalair Travel and there was a four-all draw between Veltins and Royal Shock.

Aercomms are right on track to regain the league title they lost to Veltins last season, as they are now holding a comfortable 17-point advantage over the rest of the top flight teams, thanks to an 8-0 win over Ramis this week.

They also picked up the highest team series with their 2,260 tally, and Ramis put up very little resistance as the three games of the set progressing; 750-603, 750-697, 760-700.

Kenneth Arpa was once again Aercomms’ best player with a good 585 series, while none of a poor Ramis side could manage a 500 total, Harold Caruana just missing it with a 499.

Fina First will be happier having advanced from fifth to second place with their 6-2 win over Storm (9th), helped on their way with some other very favourable results.

Both sides struggled with the lanes during the first two games, Storm taking the opener by the narrowest possible of margins (685-686), before Fina First evened things up again with a 678-665 win in game two. A meagre 12 pin advantage meant that the match was up for grabs in game three when Fina First managed to find their line at last, shooting a big 864 against a 686 from the losing side. Young Mauro Anastasi was the most consistent player among the Fina side, rolling a 579 series, and there was a 537 for Storm’s Martin Deguara.

The Rascals overturned big guns Fina Excel with an amazing 0-8 whitewash, lifting themselves from the bottom spot to the detriment of the Blues Brothers.

The Rascals were deserving of the result, winning game one 648-733, and then taking a 189 pin lead with their 641-745 win in game two. Fina Excel were resigned to defeat by the start of game three, which fell to their opponents 660-722. George Ferris took a 536 for The Rascals, and Fina Excel’s top dog was Brian Farrugia with a 540 set.

Fourth placed Globalair Travel’s recent purple patch was halted by a beating from Right Deal in week 10, the former claiming a 6-2 victory but staying seventh nevertheless. Globalair were the early leaders with a narrow 675-685 win in the first of the set, but that was cancelled out by the 753-714 result against them in game two. Right Deal then claimed the match with a 762-706 winner in the third. Their best bowler was Danial Swift on 566 pins, while Simon Burke put together a 531 for the losers.

The Blues Brothers stumbled to the bottom spot after an 8-0 beating at the hands of the Alley Catz this week, the winners advancing one place to eighth in the process. Alley Catz were consistent as a team, winning all three games with respective scores of 733-678, 721-680 and 739-725. There was a good 579 for Alley Catz’ Lorraine Casha, while Leli Scerri’s 561 was the best the losers could muster.

The last of the six Div I confrontations ended in a 4-4 draw between reigning champs Veltins who are in sixth place, and tenth placed Royal Shock. Veltins opened the scoring with a 743-720 win in game one, but suffered a 694-747 loss in the second for their adversaries to see their advantage cancelled out, Royal Shock going 30 pins ahead over the two games.

Veltins won the third incredibly, by 29 pins (763-734) meaning that Royal Shock forced the draw with a solitary pin in the series tally (2,200-2,201). Top bowler for Veltins was Sue Abela on a 600 series, and Joe Cassar managed a 647 for Royal Shock.

Standings – Division I Aercomms-67, Fina First-50, Fina Excel-48, Globalair Travel-48, Ramis-46, Veltins-44, Right Deal-42, Alley Catz-40, Storm-34, Royal Shock-23, The Rascals-22, Blues Brothers-16

Bowlers of the week

Joe Cassar (Royal Shock) 647; Sue Abela (Veltins) 600