The Middlesea Valletta Life National leagues have played through week five of the current season at the Eden SuperBowl, where Aercomms and Fina Excel stay tied at the top having both clocked up six-point wins over Swoosh and Sammy’s Embroideries respectively. Aercomms take the top ranking thanks to their higher pinfall. Fina First were able to gain two points on the leaders thanks to their 0 – 8 hammering of Royal Shock, and the only other full point of the week fell to the enthusiastic Interwetten Alley Catz, Fireballs ending up on the losing side of the result. In other matches there were also majority wins for fourth placed Ramis over Right Deal (7th), and also New Blood (9th) against sixth team Globalair Travel.

Aercomms go top on pinfall thanks to some great team efforts so far this season, and week five was no exception as they burned up the lanes with an excellent 2548 series, again the highest of the week. Their opening game against opponents Swoosh was played at a blistering pace on both sides, and no one could have guessed that with a score of 856, Aercomms would have to bow to the plucky Swoosh side who shot a fantastic 886 to open the scoring. Aercomms then produced the team game of the week to draw level with a 753 – 903 win to claim the pin advantage going into game three. The tempo was a little more sedate now, Swoosh losing with their 692 effort against a solid 789 from Aercomms, 2 – 6 the final result. Paul Baldacchino (Aercomms), 695 – Bowler of the Week. Alan Sammut (Swoosh), 585.

Fina First took advantage of Aercomms’ dropped points, slaughtering Royal Shock 0 – 8 to gain two points on the top placings. They were already 148 ahead after game one which they claimed 686 – 834, and they easily doubled that lead with a 751 – 880 win in game two. A match win was now the only options for the champions, Royal Shock resigned to sure defeat, and Fina romped home with a 713 – 787 winner in game three to snatch the 100% win. Mark Muscat (Fina First), 655. Pierre Galea (Royal Shock), 578.

Interwetten Alley Catz were the only other top flight side to net all eight points this week, to the detriment of fellow youth team Fireballs. Overall Fireballs proved no match for the Catz, going down 813 – 730 in the opening game, and then also losing 754 – 710 in game two.

That turned out to be the closest of the series as game three also fell to Interwetten Alley Catz 822 – 676 to complete the whitewash and move up into third place. Lorraine Casha (IW Alley Catz), 638, Bowler of the Week. Liliana Said (Fireballs), 526.

Tied leaders Fina Excel also emerged as 6 – 2 victors from their clash with struggling Sammy's Embroideries (11th), with only a 4-pin defeat in game two preventing them from taking an outright lead of Division I. They kicked off with a great 848 – 667 winner in game one, but then Sammy's came back to level the points with a narrow game two equalizer of 759 – 763. Excel were back in the points in the last of the set which they easily snatched 847 – 741 for the match. Brian Farrugia (Fina Excel), 660. George Deguara (Sammy's Embroideries), 596.

It was 6 – 2 again in the confrontation between Ramis (4th) against Right deal who lie seventh. It was Right Deal who were on the scoreboard, taking the opening game by thirty pins (708 – 738). Ramis squared the match with a 756 – 702 win in game two, and then went on to clinch victory by narrowly taking game three 692 – 686. Leli Baldacchino (Ramis), 565. Melissa Camenzuli (Right Deal), 564.

The final match of the night between Globalair Travel (6th) and New Blood (9th) produced yet another majority win in favour of New Blood. Game one could have gone either way but it was New Blood who came through to steal it by 17 pins (720 – 737), and again things were all square after game two which fell to Globalair 792 – 763. The match was up for grabs in the deciding third game, in which New Blood earned victory with their 828 against a second 792 from Globalair Travel, 2 – 6 the final score. Andre Grech (New Blood), 670. Simon Burke (Globalair Travel), 687.

Standings – Arcomms – 32, Fina Excel – 32, Interwetten Alley Catz – 30, Ramis – 30, Fina First – 24, Globalair Travel – 20, Right Deal – 16, Fireballs – 14, New Blood – 12, Royal Shock – 12, Sammy’s Embroideries – 10, Swoosh – 8

Bowlers of the Week

Paul Baldacchino (695) Aercomms

Lorraine Casha (638) Interwetten Alley Catz