Week nine of the MTBA National league at the Eden SuperBowl saw the first clash of the season between titan teams Fina First and Aercomms. The hotly contested match in ended a 4-all tie but was full of excitement all the way to the final frame which saw leaders Fina clinch the draw, and both sides retain their positions.
Right Deal were the only Div I side to take all eight points, O’Caseys being on the losing end of the result, while there were six point victories for Ramis, Globalair Travel, and Storm II, and a second draw between Alley Catz and Fina Excel.
The much anticipated match of the week was that between leaders Fina First and second placed Aercomms, both sides having found unbeatable form of late. Indeed they both turned out to be just that, unbeatable, as the highly charged confrontation ended in a draw.
Game one saw high scores galore and was unpredictable to the end, but Fina First held firm and topped Aercomms by just 12 pins to win 845-833. Fina’s game slipped in the second which allowed their adversaries to pull level with a 741-775 equaliser, but it was the deciding third game which proved to be the real thriller, Fina First winning by only 9 pins (789-780).
Aercomms managed to snatch the series points by 13 pins to claim their equal share (2,375-2,388). Mauro Anastasi (Fina First), 630. Paul Baldacchino (Aercomms), 626.
The only 100% victory of the week went to Right Deal, for whom the poor O’Caseys outfit were no match. Right Deal didn’t have to work too hard to claim the opener which finished 672-721, but they pulled out all the stops in game two which they won by no less than 152 pins (657-809). O’Caseys finally breached the 700 mark in game three but failed to make any impression on the match as they lost it 728-778 to confirm Right Deal’s full point win. Melissa Camenzuli (Right Deal), 610. Nikolai Borg (O’Caseys), 517.
Ramis (third) were on the winning end of the first of three 6-2 match results in week nine, fourth placed New Blood the eventual losers. Ramis looked to be heading for an 8-0 whitewashing of their opponents as they cruised to an 817-747 win in game one, and followed through with a 745-711 win in game two.
They were well ahead going into the final game of the set, which was when New Blood bounced back with a slim 772-782 win for their two point share of the spoils. Charles Farrugia (Ramis), 594. Lawrence Bonnici (New Blood), 627.
Globalair Travel began their clash with Fireballs with a huge 618-818 win, and were already confident that defeat was not an option for them this week. Plucky Fireballs came back to level the match with an edge-of-your-seat 721-717 win in the second, but Globalair clinched the majority match win with a 729-743 score line in game three, thus taking the series points by a considerable 210 pin margin, (2,068-2,278). Clive Saliba (Globalair Travel), 643. Ramon Casha (Fireballs), 574.
The match between Sammy’s Embroideries and Storm II produced the third and final six-pointer, falling in favour of the latter thanks, not least of all, to Storm II’s huge closing game which awarded them with the team series of the week (2404 pins).
Alley Catz vs Fina Excel produced another thrilling and eventful draw, with Excel displaying a certain degree of inconsistency as the encounter progressed.
Standings Div. I
Fina First-64, Aercomms-56, Ramis-48, New Blood-48, Fina Excel-47, Alley Catz-38, Globalair Travel-36, Storm II-30, Right Deal-26, Fireballs-17, Sammy’s Embroideries-16, O’Casey’s-6
Bowlers of the Week
Martin Deguara (Storm II) 647; Lorraine Casha (Alley Catz) 623